Meiji Shine Iris Garden and Hakusan Hydrangea Festival

Yesterday I went to the iris garden in the grounds of the Meiji Shrine. I have lived in Tokyo for 18 years, but until yesterday I didn't know the garden existed. Speaking to a couple of my Japanese friends who are also keen flower photographers, I was surprised to find out that they hadn't heard about it either; it seems to be a well-kept secret. At the entrance you will be asked by one of the multi-lingual staff if you want to see just the iris garden or the iris garden and "the well". If you want to see both, not only do you have to pay extra, you have to go in by a different gate and see the well first, then visit the iris garden afterwards. To make sure people obey this rule and don't sneak in to see the well without paying, they even have a security guard stationed on the path that joins the two to check people's tickets! This led me to think that that must be some exciting well for them to go to the trouble and expense of charging extra, creating a special rule, a special route and employing a security guard. I didn't go and see the well this time, but next time I think I should just to see what all the fuss is about.

Mosquito Hell

Security guard checking people aren't sneaking in to see the well without a ticket

Once I got into the garden, I quickly made my way to the iris pond area. It is only a small part of the Meiji Shrine Inner Garden, but the rest of the garden is a mosquito heaven with dense clumps of ancient trees and large, still pools of water, and I didn't want to hang around in that part for any longer than necessary. Even so, I got quite a few bites anyway. The iris garden itself is long and thin and curves back and forth for a couple of hundred meters between the towering, dense foliage on either side. I have to say that it is quite spectacular - a huge splash of deep green, white and various shades of pink and purple. There was a decent turnout of people, but not half as many as I had expected in such a central tourist location on a sunday afternoon in peak season. It was quite comfortable to go around. The irises were beautiful. I'll just let the pictures of them speak for themselves.

The highlight of the visit was probably listening to the gardener at the end of the garden. He appeared from nowhere in a wide straw hat and wellies, climbed into the water with the irises and proceeded to answers questions from the iris buffs. What fascinated me about him was his tool belt hung with everything he needed including a special tin containing a burning coil of Katori Senko mosquito repellant.  I should have asked him where he bought it, because that would be a very useful fashion accessory.

The Gardener

I spent two hours at the iris garden and then, as it was still only 3 o'clock, I decided to try my luck at the hydrangea festival at Hakusan Shrine, which was about 40 minutes away by train. To get there, I had to change at Sugamo Station. I used to work in Sugamo about 5 or 6 years ago, and so yesterday, out of curiosity, I popped out of the station and walked up and down the main street for old time's sake. I remembered the station and some older parts of the high street shopping arcade, but as for the building my former company was in, I could only remember the rough location. It was somewhere near what is today a mobile phone shop and a cafe. My memory isn't what it used to be.

By the time  finally got to Hakusan, I was starting to wonder if I had made the right decision. I was exhausted and climbing eight flights of steps to get to ground level, I thought I was going t have a heart attack. I had to go and have  Freshness Burger and glass of grapefruit juice to perk me up enough to go to the festival.  By the time I got there, the festival was over (even though it was not even 4 o'clock), but the hydrangeas weren't going anywhere, so I took photos of them for about an hour, then went home. All in all, it was a very satisfying day, and I got plenty of fresh air and exercise, as well as 500-plus flower photos. I haven't started on the Hakusan hydrangea pictures yet, but I can put up plenty of the iris photos as I have uploaded them already.