Hydrangea Festival 🌼 A Beautiful Walk in Rikugien Garden & Hakusan Shrine

June is Japan's rainy season. With cloudy skies and rainfall, you may feel a little dark inside - but also notice that this wet time of the year has its own beauties! Hydrangea is most definitely one of them. The Rikugien (六義園) located in Komazawa, is Tokyo's Cultural Heritage Garden with hydrangeas in full bloom. Nearby is the Hakusan Shrine (白山神社) which is also a great place to go for admiring hydrangea and azalea during this time of year. So go on and enjoy Japan's scenery at these two locations while the season lasts!

Rikugien (六義園)

Since its establishment in 1702, Rikugien has been selected as the 1 of the 2 Great Edo Gardens, along with Koishikawa Korakuen. In 1953, the Rikugien was nationally acknowledged as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. The name Rikugien literally means "six poems garden" and reproduces 88 scenes from Ancient Chinese poems. Inside the park, you will come across various trees and flowers, and a large central pond. Starting from June, the Japanese hydrangea starts to bloom, but the park is also popular for their sakura trees in spring, and red autumn leaves in fall. Pamphlets in 8 different languages are provided at the park, so this is definitely a great place for international visitors to appreciate Japanese-style gardens!

The central pond where the Japanese azaleas bloom (mid April to early June)

Take a walk in a yukata!

Japanese Hydrangeas are the main flowers growing at this time of year (end of May to end of June)

Pamphlets in multiple languages

Hakusan Shrine (白山神社)

Established in 948, and relocated to the current site in 1655. This is a shrine located in Bunkyo-ku, with over 3,000 hydrangea plants. Every year in mid-June, the gardens celebrate the Hydrangea Festival, when the flowers are in full bloom. There are also stalls selling hydrangea and other goods to welcome visitors.

Other events are held alongside the Annual Hydrangea Festival

Old-established Hakusan Shrine

Hydrangeas in full bloom, enjoyed everywhere

Food in Komagome & Hakusan Area

A great area for a nice walk, and hidden gourmet delicacies! Rikugien Fukiage Chaya Restaurant

Located inside the garden, this is one of the few places where you can enjoy hot green tea with sweet wagashi, while enjoying the superb view of the pond and greens. Each nama-gashi is shaped in seasonal flowers; in June it is often in the form of hydrangea. You can also purchase original souvenirs.

Matcha and Namagashi set: 510JPY Komatsuan Komagome Main Store Restaurant

An old soba restaurant established in 1922. The store reopened with a Modern Japanese look in 2014. Since their establishment, they have kept to the techniques of Namako-uchi (making soba with only soba flour), and the exclusive soba and dipping sauce tastes exactly the same as 94 years ago.

Kazuhito Yamashitaさん(@yamashii70)が投稿した写真 - 2016 7月 2 11:22午後 PDT

Goto

The owner chef had been trained in East Ikebukuro's famous ramen shop ‘Taishoken’, passing on some of the tastes and techniques to Goto. Wanton noodles are especially popular, using rich seafood soup and a variety of toppings.

Photo Source: Takumen Times Misono Restaurant

The Komagome district is competitive when it comes to yakiniku, but Misono has always been a local's favorite place to go. Not only are the meats popular, but also side dishes such as Korean pancakes are worth a try.

Photo Source: FOODline TRATTORIA da COVINO Restaurant

An Italian restaurant serving Local Italian cuisine, using ingredients shipped from Hakodate, Hokkaido. We recommend the full course menu, for reserved guests only.

@thehangrylittleasianが投稿した写真 - 2016 8月 21 6:36午前 PDT

Ariel L.さん(@ariel7th)が投稿した写真 - 2014 12月 4 9:22午後 PST

brochette Namioka Restaurant

Specializing in chicken dishes and kushiyaki, using the popular chicken brand, Nagoya Kochin. Menus include a wide array of sake and wine, a la carte dishes, and course meals for a full Nagoya Kochin experience.

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Yondaime Keisuke Restaurant

Unlike the ordinary bowl of ramen, Yondaime Keisuke uses luxurious ingredients such as crab and Japanese lobsters for their noodle sauce. Enjoyed in the style of tsukemen (dipping noodles), the noodle itself is fried lightly on the surface to give it a crunchy texture. Once you are done with the noodles, they offer fried rice balls for you to put into the left-over soup! What a new experience.

Photo Source: Takumen Times Komugiko Restaurant

A small cafeteria-style restaurant serving casual Italian menus. Known for serving high-volume pasta for a cheap price, many visit for its great value.

Photo Source: ROCKET NEWS 24