On June 10th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that this year’s rainy season had begun in the metropolitan area. As I post every year, we experience hot and humid days from early June to mid-July. At times like that, the only thing that lifts my gloomy feelings before midsummer is viewing hydrangeas, which bloom in this season. This year, I visited two beautiful spots along the Keio-Inokashira line.
First, I got off the train at Hamadayama Station. Full-bloom hydrangeas could be seen here and there along the railway tracks near the station. I also saw many photo enthusiasts taking pictures of the flowers and trains. We gave each other space and took our shots. Please look at the top photo. In addition to the classic purple flowers, the pink ones are so vivid, aren’t they? The passing train is Set 1771 of the EMU Keio 1000 series, which displays a special hydrangea plate on the front. It’s truly picturesque.
After enjoying the scenery around Hamadayama Station, I stopped by Meidaimae Station to photograph the hydrangeas in full bloom on the trackside embankments. Please look at the photo below. Since 1991, Keio has been planting hydrangeas on railway embankments to prevent slope failure and protect the environment. This is one of my favorite spots, which I also visited in 2012 and 2015. My recent visit was the first in ten years, and I was glad to find that the embankments are still beautifully maintained.
