The floating flowers of Kōgenji

The temple is believed to have been first built in 1476, and its weeping cherry tree is said to be over 300 years old. The quiet atmosphere of the temple, which has supported the faith of locals, changed slightly about two years ago, as more people visited during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the cherry blossom season ended, the number of people strolling around the temple grounds grew. Vice-chief priest Myoshin Murakami recalls guessing, "Perhaps they want a place to rest amid the coronavirus pandemic." His wife Mariko came up with the idea of placing the season's flowers in the water bowls. They pick the flowers on the temple grounds and the area around it.

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