@camelliakyoto@mastodon.social
2026-07-23 02:20 UTC
Over the years many kinds of lotuses have been collected from all over the world, potted specimens covering every inch of spare ground.
Because of this the temple is better known as 'Hasu-no-dera' (蓮の寺 the 'Lotus Temple') and 'Hana-no-dera' (花の寺 the 'Flower Temple').
#lotus
Replies (1)
-
@camelliakyoto@mastodon.social 2026-07-23 02:53
In spring the temple's beautiful shidarezakura erupt in an explosion of pinks. The famed poet Saigyō (西行法師 1118-90), who loved cherry blossoms and wrote countless poems about them, is said to have visited the temple numerous times to illicitly meet Empress Taikenmon'in.