Just when it seems like the days of clear blue skies will go on, rain suddenly starts to fall.
If possible, I want to enjoy the rainy season, too.
On a whim, I thought, “That’s it—I’ll go see the hydrangeas,” and set off.
I visited a small hydrangea garden in Kurashiki City.
I was greedy and visited two hydrangea gardens.
Here, I’ll introduce a spot loved by local residents and the cool, refreshing hydrangeas in bloom.
The information provided was accurate when this article was published in July 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Jushin-in Temple, Pilgrimage Site No. 51 in Kojima
The first place I visited was Jushin-in Temple, Pilgrimage Site No. 51 in Kojima.
This temple is famous for its Japanese irises blooming in May and hydrangeas blooming in June.
If you’re lucky with the timing, you may even get to see both flowers.
I went in late June, during hydrangea season.
I’d love to visit next year at just the right time.
Where is Jushin-in Temple?
Jushin-in Temple is in Kimi, Kurashiki City. It is a 10-minute walk from JR Kimi Station and about a five-minute drive from Mizushima Interchange on the Seto-Chuo Expressway.
I have no sense of direction, so I was worried I might not make it there safely, but I set the car’s navigation system and set off.
Following the navigation, I soon saw a sign for “Jushin-in Temple.”
“Yamada Shoten Harimaya” is a landmark.
I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, “We’re almost there,” but that relief was short-lived: the road ahead was narrow.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, praying, “Please, let there be no oncoming cars.”
As I continued down the narrow road, the temple came into view.
Perhaps my prayers worked. I arrived safely without encountering any oncoming cars.
There is space for 20 cars in the parking lot.
Grateful to have made it safely, I headed for the hydrangea garden.
I entered the temple grounds, but the hydrangea garden was actually not inside the temple; it was farther along past the parking lot.
The blooming season was nearly over, but there were still plenty of beautiful hydrangeas in bloom.
Hydrangeas blooming with vigor.
Hydrangeas blooming bravely.
They withstand both heavy rain and the blazing sun.
How can they be so hardy and beautiful?
Taking a close look at each hydrangea makes you forget the busyness of everyday life.
I happened to glance down at the base of a hydrangea bush and noticed something white.
It was a plate stuck into the ground.
Looking all around, I saw them here and there.
On closer inspection, they had words written on them: “Otomegokoro” and “City Line.”
The varieties are labeled to make them easy for visitors to identify.
Some of the writing had faded, but I was moved as I imagined the head priest carefully tending to the plants.
As I looked at the hydrangeas, I heard a buzzing sound.
I turned around and saw carpenter bees and butterflies visiting the hydrangeas.
A sudden rustling sound made me jump. I looked toward the noise and saw a katydid.
It seems people aren’t the only ones drawn to the hydrangeas.
The hydrangea garden at the foot of the mountain is also a lovely bonus, as you can encounter all kinds of creatures.
I think children who love bugs would be delighted if you took them there.
Kojima's little-known “hydrangea wall”
After enjoying the soothing sight of the delicate hydrangeas in bloom, we headed to a spot in Kojima known as the “hydrangea wall.”
It has become a hot topic on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter in recent years.
A hydrangea garden stretches along a municipal road in Hieda-cho, Kojima, Kurashiki City.
It seems to be near the Hiedaminami intersection.
According to the navigation system, it was 7.3 km from Jushin-in, about a 15-minute drive.
We set off, full of anticipation about the hydrangea wall we had yet to see, wondering, “What kind of hydrangea garden will it be?”
There were no narrow roads, so I was able to drive with peace of mind.
Even beginner drivers can make it there.
The Hiedaminami intersection came into view.
As I turned the steering wheel at the intersection as directed by the navigation system, I let out a surprised “Wow!”
The hydrangea wall stretches out right before us.
There is no dedicated parking lot, but you can park along the roadside, on the nearby embankment, or on the sidewalk.
Please be considerate and avoid inconveniencing local residents and passersby.
The sloping area is 50 meters wide and up to 4 meters high.
Hydrangeas in a variety of colors—white, blue, pink, and red—are in bloom.
It truly is a wall of hydrangeas.
It is not a particularly large or spacious area, but the hydrangeas blooming in profusion are breathtaking.
Looking closely, you can see where flowers have been cut, and here and there are buds that have newly sprouted.
You can tell that the hydrangeas are carefully tended.
Even as the hydrangea season draws to a close, some varieties seem to bloom until October.
Families, couples, and friends keep coming to visit one after another.
You can hear people saying, “Wow, they're beautiful,” and “They really do look like a wall of hydrangeas.”
This hydrangea garden is loved not only by local residents, but by many people.
From the Writer
What we encountered on our outing was hydrangeas blooming with both strength and delicate beauty.
There were the familiar hydrangeas that make you think, “This is what hydrangeas are all about!” and others that make you wonder, “Huh? These are hydrangeas too?”
Why not head outdoors and savor the season, especially during the damp, muggy rainy season?
The cool-looking hydrangeas in bloom are sure to lift even the gloomiest of moods.
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
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