Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kamakura

The true virtue of the Ajisai (hydrangea) flower is its continuous and subtle changing of colors, which is caused by intricate and enigmatic chemistry of nature in the rainy season.

Ajisai plants soak up plenty of rainwater from the earth during the rainy season and show off their variety off flower colors, which reminds me of the magical shapes and colors of old French surrealist painters.

These flowers show red, blue, purple, and other mixed colors, and the base of these colors is the pigment called anthocyanin.

Anthocyanin is normally red, but when it reacts with the aluminum absorbed in the rainy soil, it changes to blue by chemical reaction. Therefore, Ajisai flowers that absorb a lot of aluminum are blue, those that do not absorb aluminum are red, and those in between are purple.

In Japan, Ajisai flowers are also called "Shichi-henge" which means "seven quick changes of clothes." This naming comes from the traditional Kabuki dance in which the star actor quickly changes his beautiful clothes seven times in the highlight scene.

Yamayuri (gold-banded lily) flowers: Kamakura

 

Red ume blossoms: Kawakita-kinenkan (Kamakura)

Monument to the memory of Dogen Zenji (Shikantaza, or "Just sitting"): Kamakura

The stone monument, on which the fundamental principle (i.e. "just sitting" or shikantaza) of Dogen Zenji  (the founder of the Soto Zen school) is engraved, is shining brightly in the burning sunlight of summer.

A Saru-suberi (Indian lilac) tree with countless vivid magenta flowers is standing by the side of this monument as if to quietly meditate under the deep blue sky.

"Just sitting" and "Shinshin datsuraku" (the freedom from body and mind) are the profound doctrines of Dogen, who teaches us the way to experience the ultimate spiritual awakening.

（Please click the bold-faced words to open their linked pages.）

Ajisai (Hydrangea) flowers: Kamakura

Fuji (wisteria) flowers: Kamakura

Yuigahama beach: Kamakura

Through the overlapping cloud layers, the afternoon sun is emitting silky sun beams into the iron-blue sky of autumn.

People standing at the water's edge are silently watching the waves endlessly break and retreat, waiting for the blazing red of the setting sun.

Yuigahama beach: Kamakura

Yuigahama beach: Kamakura

A white dove at the Chouzu-ya of Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu

"Tyouzu-ya" (hand-washing house) is the place for spiritual purification that is situated in a temple or shrine.

Visitors to a temple or shrine must wash their hands and mouth at this place before entering into the sanctuary of the temple or shrine in order to symbolically purify their mind and body.

Tsurugaoka-hachimangu is located in the center of the historic area of old Kamakura and is one of the most respected shrines of Shintoism ( the ancient and inherent religion of Japan.) This shrine was founded in 1063 by Minamoto no Yoritomo, who is the first shogun of the Kamakura regime.

In the world of Shintoism, a white dove is regarded as the minister of divine will.

Zen garden in Zuisen-ji temple

I visited the zen garden of Zuisen-ji temple which is called the Temple of Flowers.

This rock garden was designed by Muso Soseki who was one of the eminent zen teacher and garden architect in the golden era of Zen Buddhism of Japan.

A pond, caves, islands and a waterfall (not shown) are symbolically created in a huge mass of rock. There are three little wooden bridges across the pond.

Blue hydrangea flowers in the garden of Meigetsu-in temple