How to get there:
Karasuma Line stops at Kitayama from Kyoto station and walks 23 minutes to Ota Jinja Shrine.
Have you ever been captivated by the art of Ikebana, a uniquely Japanese form of artistic expression that breathes life into flower arrangements?
Also, flowers are everywhere in Japan, often offered as offerings in temples or shrines. They are present in many gardens and bloom along the seasons. Some species have historically acquired strong meanings.
The first week of May is the best time for a flower with a vibrant blue colour that I discovered first in some Van Gogh paintings and that later on I met again, this time in Ogata Korin’s (1658-1716) works.
When I learned there is a special place in Kyoto where you can contemplate blue irises (iris laevigata, also called kakistubata) in large numbers, I had to go.
This plant has been cultivated in Japan for more than a thousand years, and some varieties mentioned in Japanese gardening books in the late 17th century are still in existence. It has hope for meaning.