Today is Dina’s birthday. To help celebrate the day, Dina, Katie, Andrea, and I decided to visit one of the few temples in Kamakura (Hase) we had not been to yet. Hasedera Temple is very famous for hydrangeas. The temple and surrounding gardens were beautiful. I enjoyed the visit so much that I’m going to add it to my Julia tour of Kamakura. Today, the Temple was especially crowded because it is the beginning of hydrangea season. Even though the hydrangeas weren’t quite in full bloom and despite the crowds, the Temple was beautiful and well worth this visit and many more. There was a steady stream of people on the street to visit the temple.
The hydrangeas were beautiful. So many picture opportunities.
There was a hydrangea route to follow to keep traffic moving in one direction. The route went past several potted hydrangeas and then up the hillside.
The view from the first level was lovely and perfect for a group selfie.
We continued to climb up more steps and the hydrangeas and views only got better!
After reaching the top of the hill, the path went back down the hill. At one point, Dina and Andrea were above Katie and me. Perfect opportunity for another group selfie!
A few close up hydrangea pictures. The different colors were so beautiful.
There were also several kawaii statues.
Another part of the Temple was a cave dedicated to the Goddess Benzaiten. There were many statues and it was definitely a cave. Check out the low ceilings. Dina and I had to walk like a duck to make it through!
The oyster prayer cards were also interesting. According to the temple brochure, the statue appeared floating on the sea and drifting with the guidance of oysters attached to the statue. As a result, the shrine was established.
After our visit at the temple, we went to lunch in Kamakura. To you, my friend! Cheers, to another good beer! Happy Birthday!!
