Gregory's ServerViewed from the bottom of the 60 steps, 270 pots of white hydrangeas form the slim body of a dragon climbing through the sky (270 blue) towards the sun (60 pink).
The idea for this particular flower art came from the temple's 'Manihōju Mandara' (摩尼宝珠曼荼羅), a mandala that depicts white dragons protecting a sacred 'wish-fulfilling jewel' (如意宝珠).
Pink hydrangea at the top of the steps represent the gem.
Hydrangea were first introduced to Europe around 1862 by the German naturalist Siebold (フォン・シーボルト 1796-1866).
It is said he selected the flower's scientific name 'Hydrangea Otaksa' in memory of his Japanese mistress Kusumoto Taki (楠本滝/'Otaki-san' お滝).
On a side note...Siebold and Otaki-san's daughter, Kusumoto Ine (楠本イネ 1827-1903), was the first female doctor of Western medicine in Japan.
#Japan #楠本イネ #失本稲 #伊篤 #紫陽花 #Siebold