Hakusan Shrine Hydrangea Festival 2022
After a two-year pause, the familiar buzz of excitement returned to Hakusan Shrine, marking the unofficial start of Tokyo’s summer. The celebrated Hydrangea Festival was back, and thousands of us flocked to see the 3,000 bushes burst into color under the early summer sky.
Beauty in the overcast light
While I would have appreciated a blue sky, little was to be found. Clouds ruled. That was okay, as the dull light made things perfect for flower photography. I didn’t point my camera upward!
The hydrangeas at Hakusan Shrine were at their absolute peak, with vibrant clusters of blue, purple, and white blossoms creating a stunning tapestry of color against the lush green leaves. Some areas were devoid of them, though. None were around the altar and komainu (lion-dog guardian statues). Why not? I have no answer.
The shrine has a small hill that hydrangeas cover. In 2020 and 20221, it was closed. The gate remained locked in 2022. I had to be content photographing the flowers from outside.
A shared moment of patience
Another photographer and I had a brief conversation there. We were waiting to get photos of the front of the shrine. So many people were in the way, and we kept umming and ahhing, pulling away from the shot. We saw each struggling with the timing.
She thought photography was a waiting game. It’s either hoping for people to leave the area or waiting for them to come. I agreed with her. Dealing with frustration is a part of our lives.
The challenge of a single lens
This sense of frustration, of adapting to the situation, was a recurring theme for me that day. Earlier, a trip to the Australian Embassy to renew my passport left me with a much lighter wallet—over AU$400 lighter, to be exact. The unexpected bulk of paperwork meant I had to leave my go-to wide-angle and zoom lenses at home, a decision I’d regret deeply, as the big hydrangea flower beds needed it.
The return of the Hakusan Shrine Hydrangea Festival in 2022 was a welcome sign of things returning to normal. While the day brought its own set of challenges, from cloudy skies to a frustrating lens situation, it was a powerful reminder that photography is indeed a ‘waiting game.’ Sometimes, you wait for people to move, and other times, you learn to find the perfect shot within the limitations you have.
Photo gear for this shoot
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
More hydrangea articles
External related websites
- Hakusan Shrine (official website)