Exploring Hasedera Temple Finding the main hall beyond the cherry blossoms

By the time I’d climbed Hasedera’s covered stairway, I could still feel the stone steps in my legs. Once I knew there were 399 steps, the climb felt like an experience of its own. On an afternoon in early April, I’d taken in the views along the way and finally reached the main hall. I pulled my cardigan closer and took a moment to catch my breath.

The cherry branches hung low in the foreground, with the roof of the main hall beyond them. I’d planned to photograph the blossoms alone, but when I saw the building through the branches, I wanted them both in the picture. Wearing my mint-green top and white miniskirt, I raised my phone to my chest. But the scene in front of me caught my attention before I could even check the screen.

When I raised my phone a little, more branches came into the frame; when I lowered it, the roofline came through more clearly. I paused, unsure how I wanted to frame the shot. I’d come all this way; it seemed a shame to think only about the picture. Starting at the thick trunk in front of me, I followed the slender branches with my eyes, then looked beyond to the main hall. I could see the depth of the whole scene.

I’d heard that the stage-style main hall is a National Treasure and was rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu. The roof beyond the blossoms and the wooden framework underneath have both stood here for a long time. The cherry blossoms were this year’s blooms, while the building carries a much longer history. Thinking about that difference made me want to keep a photo of it even more than before.

In the end, I took a photo from a spot where the blossoms and main hall appeared together. Before checking how it had turned out, I lowered my phone and looked at the scene once more. I had the scene saved in a photo, too, but I preferred seeing it in person, with the branches close by and the roof spread out beyond them. Even the fatigue in my legs after the climb feels like it might become a precious memory from today.

I’d been looking forward to finishing my visit with a stop for mugwort mochi by the temple gate. The mochi at Shirozakeya has a lovely fragrance and a sweet red bean filling. When I took a bite, my attention shifted from the blossoms above to the sweetness. I’d come to photograph the cherry blossoms, but by the time I left, the stairway and mochi were part of the day I wanted to remember, too.