Meigetsuin Temple is a historical Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1160 and located in the northern part of Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. The temple grounds are covered with hydrangea plants, and when they bloom in early summer, the entire area is colored with the soft, blue flowers. There are so many hydrangeas, in fact, that the temple is known as one of Japan’s “hydrangea temples.”
In addition to its hydrangeas, the temple is also famous for its “window of enlightenment,” a circular window in the main temple building from which there is a beautiful view of the temple’s teien garden. The temple grounds are also home to Buddhist statues carved into the stone walls, and these yagura figures are said to be the largest in Kamakura.

Photographs provided by the Kanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association.