Photo/Illutration Hydrangeas are lit up along the tracks of the Hakone Tozan Railway in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, on June 15. (Kantaro Katashima)

A night viewing of illuminated hydrangeas is being offered to passengers of a popular tourist rail line in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, as events for the seasonal flower are adding color to rainy season nationwide.

The hydrangeas are lit up from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. through July 9 at five spots along the tracks of the Hakone Tozan Railway.

The early summer flowers came into bloom earlier this year in the area due to greater rainfall.

Although hydrangeas are nearly in full bloom around Hakoneyumoto Station, they can be enjoyed until mid-July around Gora Station farther up the mountain.

For passengers who want to enjoy the illuminated flowers a while longer, the railway offers a special ride that runs slower to provide better views of the spectacle and makes a longer stop at one of the stations for more photo opportunities.

The special train, named Night Hydrangea Ride, returned to Hakone for the first time in four years following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

Reservations are required for the special train, with few seats left, according to the operator.

In Hyogo Prefecture, the popular Tumanosato Ajisai Garden offers visitors spectacular views of about 3,000 hydrangeas of different varieties.

“This is the best week for a visit, and hydrangeas are the most beautiful in the morning after rain,” said Kunihiko Fujii, the garden operator.

The garden, which is located in the compound of the Buddhist temple Sairinji, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 2.

In Hiroshima, approximately 3,600 hydrangeas of about 140 varieties are in bloom at the Hiroshima Botanical Garden.

(This article was written by Kantaro Katashima, Koji Takahashi and Haruka Ono.)

Related News