Niigata is famous for its beautiful nature. In addition to fantastic landscapes and wilderness, there are many famous gardens. Particularly Ikutopia Shoku Hana Garden (いくとぴあ食花) boasts fantastic displays of seasonal flowers and plants. These pictures of Ajisai (紫陽花) were taken in this garden. AJISAI or Hydrangea. These full-bodied flowers have had many names through out their history. The most popular today are Ajisai in Japan and Hydrangea in the West. The flowers bloom every year during the rainy season in Japan (beginning of June to early July). They need a lot of moisture to fully blossom, so the constant rainfall creates a perfect environment for them. In fact, some botanists … Continue reading AJISAI: The Flowers of Seven Transformations