Hydrangeas

They start blooming early June, but they come in full bloom in the months of July and August, summer months in Kamakura, Japan. An hour and a half from Tokyo, it is a world away, more reflective of the old Japan in the Edo period than the bustling city that Tokyo is. For one, there are no young people on the streets of Hase, there are more oji-saan and obaa-san than the high school students in short skirts.
There are busloads of tourists this first Saturday ofJune, a perfect weather for walking and sightseeing. It was sunny, but spring is still in the air, bringing soft gusts of wind, not too cold, and not hot. One can walk for hours without perspiring, and still enjoy what the local community has to offer- special rice crispies cooked before your eyes, wasabe ice cream. A good lunch would be the traditional rice bento or soba or udon set (buckwheat noodles).




Hydrangea is a flowering bush, native to Asia, and they come in pink, blue or white. What makes Hase special is they have this garden tendered for over hundreds of years and maintained up to now, so one can enjoy the clusters of flowers in different colors. One follows a path,a walkway that traces one group of hydrangeas from another, and to the top - a buddha temple, a view of the sea and neighboring town, a museum, and a restaurant overlooking the sights. Don't miss Kamakura on your visit to Japan.