Hasedera Temple

Hasedera Temple (長谷観音) located in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The temple is famous for having one of the largest wooden statues in Japan, that of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.

Table of Contents

1 A little bit history
2 About the Temple
3 Flowers
- - - 3.0.0.1 Hydrangea Path
4 Information

A little bit history

It is said that this old temple was established in 736, long before the Kamakura period (1192–1333).
And it is the sister temple of Hasedera Temple in Nara (which both of them has the same name), but one of the oldest temple is this one of Kamakura.
According to legend, it was carved from the same tree as the similarly tall Kannon statue worshiped at the Hasedera Temple in Nara Prefecture.

About the Temple

Hasedera Temple is located about halfway up Mount Kamakura.
Along the slope of a wooded hill. The temple’s main buildings stand halfway up the slope on a terrace which allows for nice views of the coastal city of Kamakura, therefore has excellent views over the ocean and the picturesque Yuigahama Beach.

Scattered throughout the temple grounds are many of small statues of Jizo Bodhisattva ( Which who helps the souls of deceased children to reach paradise) . Along the stairs that leading up the slope there is also many Jizo statues .

And inside there is also a small restaurant where they serve Japanese sweets.

At the entrance a pretty garden with ponds welcomes visitors as they enter the grounds.

Flowers

The temple is popular spot in any season, in the autumn with the maple foliage, or in the spring with the plum trees.
Mostly it popular in the rainy season, from June to July with the colorful Hydrangea flowers.

Hydrangea Path

Over the slope terrace, there is “Hydrangea Path” which is very popular during this season.
In particular on the weekend, it is necessary to wait more than 3 hours to enter here. Numbered ticket for enter to the trail may be distributed by the temple in some cases.

When you climb steep and thin handmade stairs, you can see the buildings of the temple on your left and innumerable flowers of hydrangea on both side of the trail.
And you can enjoy the ocean view with the Hydrangea flowers from the top of the stairway.

Throughout the temple grounds you can see many colorful hydrangea in pots. Makes the temple so colorful and so beautiful even if it is raining in the rain season.