It's the rainy season, 梅雨 Apricot Rains,which spans about one and a half months.
It's 紫陽花 Ajisai, Hydrangea season, too.
Hydrangea is a floral symbol of Japan's rainy season.
I went to Yata-dera on a drizzly, humid day.
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Yata-dera is the center of Jizo Bosatsu worship.
It houses the oldest Enmei Jizo Bosatsu Statue in Japan.
Hondo, Main Hall
Stone Jizo Statues along the path leading to the Hydrangea Garden
They've planted hydrangeas since 1965
as the round flower looks like the gemstone held in Jizo's hand,
and the changing colors of the flowers teach 諸行無常 Shogyomujyo,
everything is constantly changing and nothing remains the same.
There are around 10.000 shrubs of hydrangea of 60 different species.
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In the Hydrangea Garden, visitors climb up and down stone stairway
flanked either side by clusters of blue, purple, pink flowers against lush green backdrop.
Wet stone steps are slippery.
Watch your steps.
Hydrangeas make our rainy days brighter as they bloom one after another
during their relatively long life span.
When I can't expect blue skies, clear blue hydrangeas especially brighten my heart.
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Yata-dera is located at the middle of Yata-yama Mountain in the castle town
Yamato-koriyama City.
About 1350 years ago, Prince Oama fled to this mountain and prayed for victory
during the civil war, Jinshin War in 672.
After his victory and enthronement as Emperor Tenmu, the temple was founded
around 679 under his orders. He reigned 673 to 686.
Leading up to the temple gate is a steep slope
and to the Main Hall and Hydrangea Garden is a long winding stairway.
Yata-dera; The temple of o-jizo-sama and hydrangeasYamato-koriyama City; Sakura at Koriyama Castle Ruins
Linked to Mosaic Monday
the gardens look glorious, the hydrangeas so beautiful (I have 2 in my garden) and I love that name Apricot Rains. Enjly your week. I am visiting at Mosaic Monday.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful display of those mystical flowers. Even rainy seasons can sound appealing when they have such poetic names.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous hydrangeas and pictures Yoko !
ReplyDeleteRain is so needed here...
Have a shinny week !
Anna
What a lovely place to visit, the hydrangeas are gorgeous. I like the view of the temple and the statues.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garden, a lovely walk. Take care, have a happy new week!
They are such beautiful flowers!
ReplyDelete...the hydrangeas are gorgeous. We have buds, but no color yet. Enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteHydrangeas of differing types and colors mingling amid ancient stone statues and pathways would lead to a meditative experience ... I imagine enhanced by the soothing patter of raindrops on petals and leaves.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful to see! Thanks for sharing these beautiful hydrangeas with me!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ellen.
DeleteHello Yoko - what a wonderful name for rain - I was wondering why the little stone Jizo Statues were dressed in the red knitted garment tops? I would love to grow blue hydrangeas, mine are pink due to my alkaline soil. However, I notice that you have both pink, white and blue growing together. Perhaps the temple gardeners are more patient then me as I realise that if I changed my soil I too could have blue.
ReplyDeleteThe primary role of Jizo is to save children and to protect the souls of unborn babies and children who have died before their parents. Some parents have offered red baby bibs either to ask him to protect children or to thank him for saving children. Red has been believed to ward off evil since the ancient times.
DeleteI'm sure you’ll succeed in growing your hydrangeas into your favorite colors. Good luck.
Such lovely flowers. Ours won't bloom here until August. Nice to enjoy the ones near you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteHydrangeas are my favorite flower but they don't do well in this part of Florida. I love your beautiful blooms. Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteThe gardens are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place to visit!
Hugs and blessings
Yoko - you always take us to the most exotic, captivating gardens!! I had one hydrangea when we lived in Ohio. It had vibrant foliage but never produced much in the way of flowers, so I have always admired any gardener that can produce luscious blooms such as these. Joining you from Mosaic Monday!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to read about Apricot Rain... never before heard. It`s such a wonderful post and I enjoyed so much this harmony in the garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing at MosaicMonday.
Hugs by Heidrun
"Everything is constantly changing and nothing remains the same" is so good to remember and to accept. The pathways of Hydrangea are like a flower dream come true! We are finally getting some sunshine, but the rain gives us the gift of flowers. Here it remains cool - I've been working in my gardens. (I'm finally able to comment again!) Have a wonderful summer, Yoko.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gardens and lovely hydrangeas.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy seeing your photographs.
All the best Jan
Your photography skill is always very good to capture the right angles and mood to make the hydrangea blooms look fabulous. You made me dream of sitting all day there and take a nice nap while admiring the greens and flowers. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteJapan is still the only country that has the most stone jizo statues all over in the outdoors. I am a staunch worshipper of Lord Jizo and even have his statue on my altar at home. Years ago I visited the scared Mount Jiuhua in China where I discovered that Lord Jizo was a Prince from ancient Korea and spent his last year's there.
Thank you Yoko San for sharing all this.
Bello templo y lindas flores. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteLovely walk, Yoko, thank you a lot. I go out in any weather, drizzly or sunny, it’s always great. The level of humidity, btw, has beaten all records recently. There are fewer flowers in our region, so what? Blue or grey skies, they are beautiful. Following your philosophy, everything is constantly changing and nothing remains the same. I wonder, what those red clothes (?) wrapped around Jizo statues mean, could you explain? Have wonderful summer days, Yoko.
ReplyDeleteIrina
O-jizo-sama (we call so affectionately and respectfully) is a guardian of children as well as travelers. He tries to save children and to protect the souls of unborn babies and children who have died before their parents by all means. Some parents have offered red baby bibs either to ask him to protect children or to thank him for saving children. Red has been believed to ward off evil since the ancient times.
DeleteWonderful hortensias! Here it is always hot in the summer and we must water them regularly.
ReplyDeleteHow very beautiful that looks.
ReplyDelete