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Amidaji

— Hakone's hydrangea temple

historyOff the trail — and worth it

A small mountain temple reached by a steep stone path lined with thousands of hydrangeas. In late June and July the approach becomes a tunnel of blue and white, and a narrow stair leads higher to the founder's meditation cave.

FromShinjuku Stn
~110 mintrain + 20 min climb
Get off atTonosawa Stn
On foot
Amidaji

Directions ↗

The sweet spot

The Hakone Tozan train stops at Tonosawa only briefly, and almost everyone rides on to the bigger stops at Yumoto or Gora. The climb is steep and there is little information about it in English, so the hydrangea path stays quiet even in peak bloom.

Where it is

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What to look for — in walking order

Hydrangea stone paththe approach and grounds lined with several thousand hydrangeas, at peak from late June to mid-July
Stone Buddha statuessmall stone figures set at intervals along the stone-step approach
Main hallthe quiet temple hall, open 9:00–16:00, admission free
Meditation cavethe founder's cave, reached by a narrow staircase about 15 minutes above the hall

How to actually get there

Shinjuku Stn → Hakone-Yumoto Stn (Odakyu Romancecar, direct, ~80 min).
Hakone-Yumoto Stn → Tonosawa Stn (Hakone Tozan train, 1 stop, ~4 min).
Tonosawa Stn → Amidaji temple gate (on foot, uphill stone steps, ~20 min).

Odakyu Romancecar + Hakone Tozan train: Shinjuku Stn →(Odakyu Romancecar limited express, direct, ~80 min)→ Hakone-Yumoto Stn →(Hakone Tozan mountain train, 1 stop, ~4 min)→ Tonosawa Stn. Then walk ~20 min uphill to the temple. Total ~110 min including the transfer. Both trains run frequently (the mountain train about every 15-20 min), so no fixed timetable to catch.
Return via Hakone-Yumoto: From Tonosawa, take the Hakone Tozan train back one stop to Hakone-Yumoto (~4 min), then the Odakyu line or Romancecar toward Shinjuku. The temple closes at 16:00; trains run into the evening, but check the return time at the station when you arrive so you are not walking down in the dark.

Directions from my location (Google Maps) ↗

About the place

Amidaji, nicknamed Ajisai-dera ('hydrangea temple'), sits on the mountainside above tiny Tonosawa Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. The path up is planted with several thousand hydrangeas that bloom from late June into mid-July, filling the steps with blue and white. The temple itself is plain and quiet, with small stone Buddha statues set along the approach. Higher up, a narrow staircase leads to the cave where the temple's founder once practiced ascetic meditation. The temple also holds a lesser-known connection to the imperial court, honored each autumn when the chief priest recites the story on the biwa, a Japanese lute.

How to enjoy it

Come in the last week of June or early July for the hydrangeas at their fullest. Allow about 20 minutes to walk up from Tonosawa Station. The temple is free and open 9:00–16:00, and the Tonosawa hot-spring area at the foot of the hill makes a natural companion stop. The October biwa ritual requires advance reservation.

Background & history

The temple was founded around 1605 by Tanzei, a wandering monk who practiced meditation in a cave on the slope and established Amidaji as a temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) school. It later gained a connection to Princess Kazu (Kazunomiya, 1846–1877), wife of the shogun Tokugawa Iemochi, who died while recovering at a nearby Tonosawa hot spring; her memorial tablet is enshrined here. The many hydrangeas the temple is known for today were planted over many years by its 38th chief priest.

Before you go

Cash: Admission is free; a small coin offering is welcome. There are few shops on the hill, so carry some coins.
Good to know: A working temple reached by steep stone steps. Wear sturdy shoes and keep a quiet manner. Open 9:00-16:00.
Another way: In heavy rain the stone steps are slippery; stay on the train to Hakone-Yumoto and walk its riverside temples instead.
After you get off: From Tonosawa Station, cross toward the mountain and climb the stone stairway that leads up the slope; it is about a 20-minute uphill walk to the temple gate.