⛩️ Hakone Amida Temple

Hakone Amida Temple is located halfway up Mount Taka and is a Buddhist sacred site with a history of about 600 years. Amida Temple is well-known for its connection to the Zen monk Shōnin, who was a wood-eating wandering monk and established this ancient temple of the Pure Land sect during the early Edo period. It is also famous for housing the memorial tablet of Princess Kazunomiya from the late shogunate period. (Wood-eating wandering monks refer to ascetic monks who abstain from grains and primarily consume fruits and grasses.) Inside the main hall, in addition to the Amida Triad statue designated as an important cultural property of the town, there is also a statue of Princess Kazunomiya and the black main deity. Every year on the fourth Sunday of October, a festival called "Jūya Matsuri" is held, featuring activities such as biwa performances conducted by the temple's head priest to commemorate Princess Kazunomiya (this event requires a donation of 1,000 yen per person, with a minimum of five participants and prior reservation needed). A 15-minute walk from the main hall leads to the Iwaya and Oku no In, which are said to be the places where Shōnin practiced, and visitors can stop by there as well. The hydrangeas planted one by one by the 38th head priest, Mizuno Kensei, add color to the mountain path leading to the main hall. From mid-June to early July, about 3,000 hydrangeas bloom in full glory. The sight of the blooming purple and blue-white hydrangeas is incredibly beautiful, making Amida Temple a beloved destination for hydrangea viewing in Hakone.

The ancient temple of the Pure Land sect, founded by the Zen monk Shōjin, who is well-known for his wooden food and wandering lifestyle, was established in the early Edo period. It is famous for enshrining the memorial tablet of Princess Kazunomiya from the late shogunate period. With prior reservation, visitors can listen to the biwa performance by the temple's head priest. From mid-June to early July, around 3,000 hydrangeas bloom within the temple grounds.