Zen temple famous for its 2.500 blue hydrangeas that bloom in June; admission 500 ¥ (800 ¥ in hydrangea season).
The Meigetsuin temple, nicknamed the "Hydrangea Temple" (Ajisai-dera), is the most photogenic in Kamakura in the rainy season: during the three weeks of blooming (mid-June to early July), the 2.500 hydrangea (ajisai) plants of the path that climbs from the entrance to the main building turn lavender blue and pale violet in one of the most reproduced scenes in Japanese garden photography. The temple's most famous feature is the "illuminated window" (maru mado): a circular opening 1,5 metres in diameter in the rear wall of the main building that frames the back garden as if it were a painting. This back garden only opens to the public in spring (plum blossom) and autumn (momiji), which gives the temple three completely different faces throughout the year. Outside the hydrangea season, admission to the precinct costs 500 ¥; in season it rises to 800 ¥ and you have to queue. Hours: 9:00-17:00. Kita-Kamakura station is a ten-minute walk from the temple.
