Hydrangea,Ajisai,アジサイ

This is the first installment of a two-part series.

The hydrangea is one of flowering plant for enjoying its blooms in Japan from ancient times, and there is mention in "Manyoshu tanka collection" published in the eighth century.

Hasezan Hondoji or Hondoji temple, Matsudo-shi, in Chiba Pref., is famous temple with surrounded flower of  Hydrangea in its season.

About Hondoji temple, please see below

 

 About Hondoji temple

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The Hondo-ji Temple originarlly started in 1269,when a governor of Hiraga Province named kageyama Tosannokami who became a great devotee of Nichiren Shonin,raised a Hokke-do hall
(a hall for the Lotus Sutra chanting )in Kogane area around Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture.
Though the temple fell into decay due to wind and rain disasters,Lord Soya Kyoshin of the monor
with a deep faith in the Lotus Sutra ,made a great contribution to the reconstruction of the temple in 1277.
In 1309,a daughter of Lord soya Kyoshin donated the land of Hirga-rokugo area to establish the Hondo-ji Temple of today.
Hondo-ji is so named because of Nichiren Shonin's wish as follows.
"The Original Buddha will reside in this land"'Hon' means true or original ,and 'do' refers  to land

The Hondo-ji temple is commonly known by "Ajisai-dera(Hydrangea Temple)."