Hydrangea＠Hakusan Shrine, Rikugien Gardens: June 25, 2011

Tokyo has a rainy season in June. I could not go out last two weekends because of rain. Today, I walked out although it sometimes rained.

June is also known as a season of hydrangea.

Hakusan Shrine in Bunkyo Ward, about 2 km north of the Imperial Palace, is famous for its hydrangea. The local community held “the Hydrangea Festival”.

There are about 3000 hydrangea plants in the shrine and neighboring garden. Hundreds of flowers were pink, blue, purple and white.




I also visited Rikugien Gardens. The gardens were originally a residence of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, the most powerful politician in the mid Edo period (from late 17th to early 18th century).

It rained when I visited there. A couple was sitting under an umbrella in front of hydrangea.



The artificial mountain in the garden was partially destroyed by the Great East Japan earthquake in March. So, I could not go up.