Meigetsu-in

明月院

The “Hydrangea Temple,” where thousands of blue himekajisai hydrangeas bloom in “Meigetsu-in Blue” along the approach, and the round “Window of Enlightenment” in the main hall frames North Kamakura's most photogenic Zen scene.

Meigetsu-in is a Rinzai Zen temple in North Kamakura. It evolved from Meigetsu-an, founded around 1160 by Yamanouchi Shuto Tsunetoshi for his father. It later became a subtemple of Kenchō-ji, one of Kamakura's Five Great Zen Temples, and survived after Kenchō-ji declined. The grounds contain Kamakura's largest yagura (medieval horizontal rock-cut burial chambers) and a grave said to belong to Hōjō Tokiyori.

It is best known as the “Hydrangea Temple” (ajisai-dera). The stone-stepped approach from the gate to the main hall is lined with about 2,500 hydrangeas, mainly the native Japanese himekajisai, almost all in a bright blue known as “Meigetsu-in blue.” From early to mid-June, when they bloom, the blue flowers cover the stone steps. This is one of the most famous hydrangea scenes in Kamakura and in all of Japan. During the flower season, North Kamakura is at its most crowded, with long queues before opening, and on the busiest days the temple limits entry.

Inside the main hall (hōjō), a round “Window of Enlightenment” opens onto the rear garden. The view through it changes with the seasons (spring cherry blossoms, summer greenery, autumn foliage, winter snow) and is one of Kamakura's classic compositions, so photographing it takes patience. The rear garden opens specially during the June iris season and the autumn foliage season (an extra ¥500), with an iris field and maple grove. The grounds also include the Kaisandō, the Gekkeiken tea house, Jizō statues and rabbit figures. The temple takes its name from the moon, and the rabbit is its symbol; live rabbits are kept on the grounds.

Admission is ¥500 (may be adjusted during the hydrangea and autumn foliage seasons). Access: It is about a 10-minute walk from JR Kita-Kamakura Station, passing Engaku-ji (the second of the Five Great Temples and worth a visit). Buses from Kamakura Station to the “Meigetsu-in” stop also serve it. Allow about 45 minutes (1.5 hours in flower season).

Notes: Visit on a weekday morning during the flower season if possible. Tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited on the narrow approach. Queuing to photograph the round window inside the hall is required, so please don't linger. Food options in North Kamakura are limited, so eat near Kita-Kamakura Station.

Meigetsu-in

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