Hello from Kyoto! This week, we’d like to share a Kyoto spot that we recommend visiting in June.
Tucked quietly into the hills of Nishiyama in western Kyoto, Yokoku-ji Temple is a place that completely transforms in early summer. Right now, the entire temple grounds are covered in hydrangeas (ajisai) in every color imaginable and it genuinely feels like stepping into a different world.
Walking up to the temple, you’re surrounded by a long, gradual gradient of ajisai colors, and the noise of the city just fades away. Every time you stop to look, a new color catches your eye! One of the highlights inside the temple grounds is the hana-chōzu, flower-filled water basins and pond surfaces decorated with floating ajisai.
We think that hydrangeas actually look their best on rainy or overcast days, which is why June is the perfect month to visit Kyoto. The colors deepen and the flowers take on a lush, quiet quality. Strolling slowly through this old temple with an umbrella in hand is a little journey in itself.
How to Access Yokoku-ji Temple
From THE MACHIYA EBISUYA Hotel:
– Take the Hankyu Kyoto Line from the nearest station, Karasuma, and get off at Nishiyama-Tennozan Station.
– From the station, it is about 15 minutes by taxi.