Do you enjoy seeing hydrangea? Hydrangeas delight us by blooming colorful flowers such as blue, purple, and pink. Hydrangeas change their flower color based on the pH level of the soil. Alkaline soil tends to promote red and acidic soil yield blue. They bloom from May to July, and are in full bloom from early June to early July, so they are in full bloom during the rainy season, which means the best season for hydrangeas is just around the corner.

In this article, I will introduce you to some of Kyoto’s famous hydrangea spots that would look great on Instagram.

Yoshimine-dera（善峯寺）

This is a temple called Yoshimine-dera. The temple is located at 1372 Oharano Oshiocho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City.
You can go to the temple by taking a train to JR Mukomachi station. From there take Hankyu bus # 66 (for Yoshimine-dera) for about 30 minutes, get off at the last stop called “Yoshimine-dera” and walk for about 8 minutes. The best season is from early June to early July. The sight of about 10,000 hydrangeas brilliantly coloring the entire slope is a spectacular view that can only be seen during the rainy season. From the hill, you can overlook the city of Kyoto over the hydrangeas. It is a highly recommended spot with a great view if you are traveling in Kyoto in the rainy season.

Mimuroto-ji（三室戸寺）

This is a temple called Mimuroto-ji. The temple is located at 21 Shgatani, Uji City, Kyoto.
It is a 15-minute-walk from Keihan Mimuroto station to the temple. The best season is from early June to early July. About 10,000 hydrangeas are planted at Mimuroto-ji, an ancient temple in Uji City, which is also known as the flower temple of Kyoto. There will be light up nights in the best season, so you can enjoy a very romantic sight if you visit at night. There are also heart-shaped hydrangeas, and it is a popular spot for couples.

Tanshu Kannon-ji（丹州観音寺）

This is a temple called Tanshu Kannon-ji. The temple is located at 1067 Kannonji, Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto.
It is a 15-minute-walk from JR Ishihara station to the temple. The best season is early June to early July. It is an ancient temple called “Tamba Hydrangea Temple”. The temple grounds will be decorated with a beautiful purple gradation by 10,000 hydrangeas of about 100 species. The “Hydrangea Festival” is held on the 4th Sunday of June every year, and various events such as attractions and priests’ soothing rituals are held.

In this article, I have introduced the famous hydrangea spots in Kyoto that would look great on Instagram. 

The flower language of hydrangea includes “danran, spending time with family and friends”, “waki aiai, doing things in cheerful and harmonious manner”, and “family”. Kyoto has many famous spots that represent Japanese culture, so why don’t you go see the hydrangeas?