Thursday, June 14, 2012

Hydrangea in Kamakura – 鎌倉の紫陽花



6月の鎌倉は平日・週末を問わず混む。人の流れは長谷寺、成就院、明月院など、紫陽花の名所に向かう。今年は咲くのが遅いと聞いていたが、今日は天気が良いのでカメラを持って北鎌倉の明月院まで散歩した。本当は自転車でひとっ走りと行きたかったのだが、駐輪できないだろうと考えて歩くことにした。実際には入口の公衆電話ボックス横に小さな駐輪スペースがあった。


拝観料は500円、あじさい寺と異名を持つだけに庭園内では花に囲まれてアプローチを進む感じだ。花は小振りなものが多かった。それとあまりの快晴だと、紫陽花に潤いがない。写真にお陽様は欲しいのだが、やはりシトシト雨の中で観る紫陽花の風情は味わい深い。


Kamakura in June is busy with visitors regardless weekdays or weekends. The crowd’s destinations are Hase temple, Joju-in or Meigetsu-in, all known for hydrangea. It was such a sunny day today that I walked to Meigetsu-in with my SLR camera. I wanted to run on my bike but declined the thought considering no parking there. Actually, there was a tiny space next to the public phone box at the entrance, which was good to know.
The admission was 500 yen, and as you proceed in the garden you will be surrounded by hydrangea literally as it is nicknamed “hydrangea temple”. Flowers were relatively smallish, and under the clear sun, they looked rather moistless. I appreciate the sun for photo-shootings, but hydrangea in the rain displays more charming elegance.


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