The summer 'must do' list: view the lotus flowers

Another summer 'must do' I crossed off my list this past week, is going to see some lotus flowers. Kodai Hasu no Sato Park in Gyoda, Saitama Prefecture is famous for its ancient lotus and I will go see that display this year too, as I do every other year. But this past week I just went locally. Lotus flowers bloom for a long period of time so there is usually an opportunity to see them from mid June to mid August.

The great thing about lotus flowers is that they only flower in the morning, so it is an incentive to get up early! Moreover it means that the temperatures are cooler and so slightly more bearable than afternoon temperatures. The lotus close up as the day heats up - a bit like myself!  I believe there are dozens of different varieties of lotus, but I am no expert. Personally, I have seen lotus flowers that are shades of white and ones that are shades of pink. If you visit somewhere like Kodai Hasu no Sato they have lots of information about the different varieties and the bloom period. They put the name of the variety by the flowers, but they also have a small lotus flower museum on the grounds too.  

There are dozens of places to see lotus flowers in Saitama Prefecture. I don't know if its because Saitama is particularly known for lotus or if lotus flowers are very common throughout Japan? Many of the lotus ponds are in parks, but there are also temples with lotus ponds. Not as many as you would think though, considering the link between lotus and Buddhism. There are far more hydrangea temple than lotus temple in these parts of Saitama. 

Have you been to see a lotus flower display this year? Have you ever been to see the ancient lotus in Gyoda?