A bamboo grove in Engaku-ji

High summer has already arrived here in Kita-kamakura and its intense heat and glaring sun are immensely heightening the vital force of the living world.

The bright green trees of bamboo are swinging gently and vigorously in rhythm with the current of baking summer air as if to delight to bask in the radiant sun.

The superb gradation of green in this bamboo grove is created by the dazzling light of the sun shining high in the deep blue sky.

A Shaka-nyorai statue in Tokei-ji

The statue of Shaka-nyorai is completely covered with green under the blistering sun in the height of summer.

The sun of this season generously brings vast blessed light to all living things for their vigorous growth and flourishing.

This Shaka-nyorai seems to rest for a moment in peace, putting his duty of relieving all living things in the hands of the brilliant and confident sun of midsummer.

A Monki-ageha (Papilio helenus) butterfly in Kencho-ji

In the sparkling sunshine, I saw a black swallowtail butterfly quivering above the bright vermilion flowers of trumpet creeper.

In the height of summer, when colorful flowers decreases in number, various beautiful butterflies flit around above the flourishing vegetation of this lively season and fascinate us deeply with their graceful figures and elegant dances in the air.

I always find a hidden meaning of pure spiritual freedom in these butterflies, which are innocently fluttering about in the clear blue sky.

A Jizo-Bosatsu statue in Kencho-ji

A sacred lotus flower in Kencho-ji

The Butsuden (main hall) and Kara-mon (Chinese-style gate) in Kencho-ji

A bamboo grove in Kencho-ji

A Daimyo-seseri (Daimio tethys) butterfly in Kencho-ji

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

The long-awaited flowering season of sacred lotus has already begun.

Although the peak of summer is not yet to come, continuous blistering heat is dominating here from the beginning of July.

The magnificent flowers of sacred lotus, which represent the the true height of summer, are vigorously blossoming one after another on the surface of muddy water beneath the dazzling sun.

Generally a sacred lotus flower is about 20-30 cm in diameter. It opens early in the morning and closes at about three in the afternoon. After repeating this flowering cycle for four days, its gorgeous petals, which looks like fine woven silk, gracefully flutter down on its leaves or the water surface.

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

The majestic leaves and flowers of sacred lotus grow steadily in muddy water and appear upright above water in a noble manner.

In Buddhistic thought, the noble and virtuous leaf and flower of sacred lotus symbolize the moral way of life in which a person lives uprightly without being tainted with the lusts and sins of this muddy world.

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

A sacred lotus flower in Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

A sunset at Seminyak beach (Bali Island)

The update of this blog was suspended for a short time because of my trip to Bali Island.

This beautiful sunset is one of the favorite souvenirs of Bali.

Soon the pictures of sacred lotus flowers, which are the typical and magnificent flowers of mid summer in Kita-kamakura, will be presented in this blog.

N.B.
I have started my another photolog titled "Like flowing clouds and flowing streams."