Spring azaleas at Shiofune Kannonji

The temple Shiofune Kannonji in Oume Tokyo is one of the most famous spots to appreciate the spring azaleas. From late April to May visitors crowd the ancient temple surrounding slopes to enjoy the flowers.








According to the legend, the temple started in the Taika period (645-650) with the enshrinement of the golden multi-arm image of deity Kannon. Three of the remaining structures built in the muromachi period have been designated as national important cultural properties:
The hondo or main hall, a wooden structure with thatched roof, with a structure characteristic of the muromachi period.
The Nioumon, the main gate to the temple, a thatched roofed structure.
The Amidado, a wooden structure with hipped roof mono-layered in copper.
Additionally the surrounding buildings have been designated as important cultural properties by Oume city.
A very large Kannon statue at the top of the front slope has been recently erected to pray for peace.






The Azaleas around the temple are an unmatchable sight, 17,000 shrubs of different varieties of the flower, bloom continuously every spring, making the slopes look like a Matisse painting.





Another festival celebrated at the temple is the Buddhist rite of “cedar-stick bush burning”, a firewalking festival held in front of the gomado. I still have not been able to see this festival, but I expect to attend one in the near future.

View shiofunekannonji in a larger map

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Autumn’s walk in the park

As the weather has been steadily improving, it is a good time to check the autumn status with a walk at the Hokusou hananooka park in Chiba.


There are not many flowers in season at the moment, one of the most abundant are the buckwheat flowers that line the paths on one of the sections of the park.



Cosmos is another seasonal flower that is blooming.


Susuki grass, a traditional decoration on “autumn moon viewing”, is also spreading widely now, not only at the park but in many unattended fields as well.


Unfortunately, the autumn colors are not here yet, it is a bit early in Tokyo, but the season has already started in some regions at the north of Japan. I am really looking forward to it.

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Gyoda city’s ancient Lotus

Last week visited again the Ancient lotus park in Gyoda city, as now the flowers are in season.



As last year I arrived quite early, lotus flower only opens between 6:00 and 10:00 AM, and again as last year there were already a large number of visitors at the park.



The park is divided in two sections: the ancient lotus pond and the world lotus garden.



There are many lotus gardens in Tokyo, but can hardly compare in variety and beauty to this park in Saitama, This park beauty make worthwhile the trip from Tokyo.

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Hydrangea at Hasedera

Hydrangeas are in season in Japan, one famous place to appreciate the hydrangeas is the gardens at Hasedera in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture.




Hasedera temple is a famous Buddhist temple, with beautifully manteined gardens. The temple is a popular destination for worshipers, getting specially crowded on Hydrangeas season.




There were large queues to enter the garden and the garden itself was too busy to fully appreciate the hydrangeas.






After all the blooming Hydrangeas with view to the temple and the Sagami bay made the wait and queueing worthwile.

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Cherry blossom viewing at Sagiyama memorial park

As the weather continued to be unpredictable, we had more than 20℃ one week and snow the following (in April!). On one of the good weather days I visited the Sagiyama memorial park, to enjoy the cherry blossom trees.





The Sagiyama memorial park in Saitama city, with more than 250 year of history, is not one of the most prominent parks in the Saitama prefecture, but it has seen an increase of visitors as a result of the creation of a green zone in the area by the Saitama prefecture.




Next to the park are the Minuma natural park and the Minuma canal. The canal is now lined with stunningly beautiful cherry trees in full bloom.

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Ancient lotus in Gyoda city

In 1971 a new pond was created in gyoda city, two years later around 15 lotus plants started growing naturally on the new pond, it has now been confirmed that the new plants were from 1400 to 3000 year old lotus bulb, awaken from the sleep by the new pond.


Around July and August, over 10 thousand lotus flower bloom on 3 sections of this park in gyoda city.


Lotus opens and closes every day, normally from 6 to 10 AM, waking up early is a must to admire a lotus field.
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