Planning the Best Hydrangea Day Trip to Kamakura -

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Where Are the Best Places to View Hydrangeas in Kamakura?

The best time to view Hydrangea in Kamakura is between June and early July. I had nine friends joined me in Tokyo last year and we had an incredible journey tasting different kinds of food in the city. Check out Tokyo Food Guide: What Best to Eat in 6 Local Precincts for my ultimate Tokyo food guide and you will know what I mean.

Before my friends arrived in Tokyo though, I had some time to myself and I decided to have an excursion to Kamakura, a small city just about an hour away from Tokyo and is best known for its Great Buddha in Kōtoku-in. When hydrangeas are blooming, visitors flood the city, and some of the hot spots could get a little crowded. I visited there on a Tuesday but when I reached JR Kita-Kamakura Station, the platform was completely full and I almost couldn’t step out of the train!

What is “Ajisai” あじさい – Hydrangea?

If you want to know more about what is hydrangea? What are the colors and shapes of hydrangeas? What types of hydrangeas are commonly seen in Japan? Where Are the Best Places to View Hydrangeas in the Tokyo area? check out: How to Plan a Perfect Summer Day Trip to Tokyo and See Hydrangea.

**Meigetsuin: June, it’s all about Hydrangea.**

Today, I would like to share with you my Kamakura hiking-hydrangea-viewing route. It is a relaxed, slow-paced stroll, with the exception of overwhelming crowds in some popular attractions. 😛

MQTW4672 — **Hydrangea can also be spotted anywhere in Kamakura, like on the side of the road.**

How to get to Kamakura?

There are three JR passes that offer visitors a discount on getting around the Kamakura area.

Take Enoden (JR Line). Enoden 1-day pass ticket “Noriorikun” costs 600 yen and it permits unlimited use to board and disembark at any station on the Enoden line within one day. Enoden Line covers some of the best attractions in Enoshima including Engaku-Ji, Mitama Shrine, Gokuraku-Ji, and Joju-in.
Kamakura Edoshima Afternoon Pass is only for sale (1000 yen) after 1 pm. The pass covers access to Noriorikun, Escar, Samuel Cocking Garden, and Sea Candles (lighthouse observation tower). The entire combo is worth 1,460 yen and if you start your day after 1 pm, it could be a good choice for you.
Lastly, Enoshima 1-day pass “Eno=Pass” costs 1000 yen, and it offers unlimited access to 4 popular sites at Enoshima in a day. It has the advantage of combining a round-trip discount ticket and tickets to Enoshima attractions.

I have mentioned a few spots in Engaku-Ji, Mitama Shrine, Gokuraku-Ji, and Joju-in; hydrangeas are mainly scattered on the roadside or train lines among these spots. For first-timers, like me, I would recommend the following route that lines up some of the Kamakura classics and popular spots. Some of these places could get crowded during peak time, so start your day early or you may not have enough time to complete them all!

Spot 1: Engaku-Ji 円覚寺

The journey began once I left Kita-Kamakura JR Station and the first spot that I visited is Engaku-Ji. It’s close to Meigetsuin – while the hydrangea is not as intensive – the temple has a spacious environment for visitors to view and enjoy the blooming calmly. The tranquil atmosphere is the perfect setting to sit down, sip a cup of tea, and view the colorful flowers. both locals and foreign visitors may join the zazen meditation sessions and other Zen training. To end your visits, sit down at the old-house-style cafe and taste a wagashi.

Spot 2: Meigetsuin 明月院

Kamakura is a historic city, like Kyoto and Nara, filled with ancient sites and buildings. Founded in 1160, Meigetsuin has more than 40 kinds of 2,500 stocks of hydrangea. The temple is also named the “Ajisai Temple” – and I am sure it’s listed on every “best spot to view hydrangea” list in the Tokyo area. There was already a great amount of hydrangea planted at the entrance even before entering the temple.

The best photo-taking spot in the temple is the approach up the staircase to the front gate (this is my cover photo of this post), where different kinds of hydrangea line up on both sides, and they look absolutely beautiful in full bloom.

The color of the flowers is even more vibrant after the rain. Note that, as I have mentioned a few times, the temple can get so crowded that they need to implement traffic control when entering the site. If you wish to take a visitor-free photo of the staircase, you will have to be there very early in the morning, when the temple just opens.

BFKZ6289 — **Hydrangea is really beautiful but also, watch out for the crowd during the peak seasons!**

Spot 3: Kuzuharaoka Shrine 葛原岡神社

The Meigetsuin – Kuzuharaoka – Kōtoku-in hiking trail is the best route in Kamakura because it covers quite a lot of attractions in a 3 km walk. Passing the Jōchi-Ji, I followed the signs, entered the hiking trail, and headed to my next spot – Kuzuharaoka Shrine.

Honestly, it ended up being my favorite viewing spot because to my surprise it’s much quieter as compared to Meigetsuin. I guess this is one of the big disadvantages on the road alone… you don’t have a friendly photographer to take good pictures of you, and sometimes a selfie stick or a tripod can’t do the job in a crowded place like Meigetsuin. The flower in Meigetsuin was spectacular but it was just too crowded for visitors to take pictures or enjoy the natural environment.

The Shrine is only a short hike in the Kamakura western wooded hills, yet the slightly “off-track” location makes a world of difference from the crowd. The shrine has a good variety of flowers and I could finally enjoy and take pictures of the flowers (in the June rain).

**Kuzuharaoka Shrine: June, it’s all about Hydrangea.**

Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine 銭洗弁財天宇賀福神社

After a short rest, I continued my walk to another shrine on the route, it should not be difficult to find as there will be road signs along the trail. This is not exactly a hydrangea viewing spot, but it’s an interesting pitstop on your way to the next one. There is a cave and legend has it, wash your money with the shrine’s spring and they will double.

I didn’t go wild and bring all my money there for a good washing, the shrine has bamboo baskets prepared in case you want to experience the divine power of the spring water in the shrine.

Spot 4: Itsuki Garden Cafe terrace樹ガーデン

Itsuki, which means “tree” in Japanese, is my recommendation for lunch. It was a sweet detour as I looked for the cafe in the woods. The cafe has two entrances – while the main entrance is located on the roadside, I entered the cafe at the back of the hill; and I recommend entering the cafe that way because the view of the entire cafe was breathtaking from the top.

The cafe is a real estate property of the Itsuki Garden and was initially acquired by the late founders of Hinoki Corporation; finally, it turned into a tourist attraction. While the entire site looks buried deep in the woods, the structure has a nice contrast with red bricks and umbrellas popping out from the lushes. All tables are outdoors, a perfect setting to enjoy nature and some food. The cafe offers simple set lunches, snacks, and sandwiches, and the most popular dish would be their summer fruit pancakes.

Spot 5: Kōtoku-in 鎌倉大仏殿高徳院

Moving after a satisfying lunch, I finally arrived at the Kōtoku-in, not arguably the best-known spot in Kamakura. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, and it is the largest outdoor bronze Buddha in Japan.

The Buddha is not only famous for its size but also for its originality. It was not been largely renovated since the 13th century which means it has preserved what it looked like since it was made 700 years ago. The site has a great historic value to the art and culture of the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

The backyard of the temple is also planted with many types of hydrangea. Although they are not showcased in an intensive cluster, the coverage of its genre was interesting to see.

Spot 6: Hasedera 長谷寺

Finally, I headed to another hotspot – Hasedera. The street connecting Kōtoku-in and Hasedera is a busy tourist street with cafes, coffee shops, souvenir shops, and museums lined up on both sides of the road. Hase JR Station is located at the end of the street, this is where I took the train back to Tokyo after my day.

I spent some time exploring the shops and had Warabi Mochi, and some snacks before arriving at the temple. Hasedera is another hotspot in Kamakura for hydrangea and both locals and visitors know it. Nicknamed “the Flower Temple”, The temple was built 1,200 years ago and you could see different kinds of flowers in the temple throughout the year. The main hall has a giant wooden carved statue, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, which towers at a height of 9.8 meters and is the largest of its kind in Japan. In addition to the significant cultural properties, the gazebo at the top of the temple offers a stunning view of the temple, Kamakura city, to the ocean of Kamakura, and beyond.

There could be a long line during peak season and visitors will need to obtain a time ticket upon arrival in order to enter the “Hydrangea Path”. Sometimes it could be about an hour wait to be there at the latest at around 4 pm so you won’t miss the chance!

Magokoroマゴコロ / Hase Station 長谷駅

Lastly, before taking off and returning to Tokyo. You are welcome to enjoy a cup of coffee at the Magokoro cafe. The cafe is located at the seaside and I enjoyed an unobstructed view of the ocean through the giant window. The owner designed the cafe using organic linen as the main theme. You will find a lot of elements evolve around linen, from walls, chairs, and table settings; their menu uses vegetable and seafood ingredients from local farms.

For a list of best places to view hydrangea in the Greater Tokyo area (including Kamakura), other places are listed in the following, and check out the map to see which spot is closer to you.