Rain-dark stone steps, two thousand hydrangeas, and Yuigahama Bay slowly opening up in the gaps between them.
Our hour there
We were at the gate before eight, damp already, sharing one umbrella because I had left mine on the train. The rain was barely rain, more like the air deciding to be wet. Then the path started climbing and the colour came up around us, blue and pink and a violet neither of us had a word for. I kept stopping to point. You kept saying keep going, look up. At the top of a turn the leaves parted and there was the bay, grey and silver, the town small below it. The only sound was water ticking on the umbrella. We stood there longer than we meant to, saying nothing, and it felt like enough.
You two will get the softest light in June if you take the first slot, when the clouds hold everything still and the wet stone darkens every colour. The path is steep in places and narrow, so you will walk close. Carry on up to the Kannon-do terrace for the whole sweep of Yuigahama. Later, go down to the beach and stay out past seven. Blue hour there runs until about half past, and the town lights come on along the curve of the bay.
One honest thing: the temple closes at 17:30 in hydrangea season, last entry at 17:00, so there are no night hydrangeas, whatever the drawing suggests. Book the 08:00 slot online the week it opens. Keep both tickets, because together they let you come back in.
♡ We each picked a favourite bush on the way up and went back the next morning to argue, very seriously, about whose had turned bluer overnight.