Tokyo has a couple of Lotus flowers spots with my favorite one being the Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park. The summer festival in Ueno Park is accompanied by beautiful lotus in the Shinobazu Pond which bloom late July to mid August. The Shinobazu Pond is a pond within Ueno Park, and a historically prominent Shitamachi (suburb) feature often appearing in history and works of art. The park occupies the site of the former Kanei-ji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns.Ueno Park is a spacious public park and the Shinobazu Pond at the back side occupies significant space with the lotus flowers green carpet completely enveloping the pond in summers. Contrasted with the resident high rise building which have come up in the background and the Bentendo Temple the pond is best visited early August which is late in terms of the lotus bloom at other locations in Tokyo.
The lotus flowers are less in number this year of 2015. I unfortunately went lat in the day at 17:30 and the flowers had their day in the sun and the petals had already started to close. Most of snaps here are of closed petals not the bud stage of the bloom. Visit early in the day or in the afternoons.
The entrance to the Shinobazu Pond has a temple of Saraswati of Benzaiten as she is called in Japan. It is situated next to the rental boat facility
The summer festivals going on beautiful kimonos can be seen all around. The traditional dresses, the beautiful temple and lotus flowers all around give the atmosphere a relaxing feel.
Beautiful flowers all in their closed form. The pond is jam-packed with beautiful pink or white lotus every year, unfortunately this year I could spot only the pink ones.
You can also enjoy various food items and snacks on the various stalls which line up the Shinobazu Pond. Chocolate Banana a local favorite.
Various stalls with antique goods also can be purchased in the summer festival time. So its not only the lotus flowers, but also various activities which will keep busy there.
I have regularly visited the Chiba Koen which is also a famous spot for lotus flowers, but Ueno beat it hands down with the number of flowers and overall activities to do. Enjoy the flowers….
In the evening the boat rental was already closed and the blue hour illumination with the city lights was making its presence.
The night time beautiful view of Bentendo with the small lotus flowers around.
Japanese lotus flowers are unique. The leaves in India are a bit smaller and the petals also quite thin, while in Japan, the leaves are bigger and the petals not slender but round type.
A final bow at the Benzaiten Temple and back home..
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