The temple also commands an impressive view over Kamakura’s bay and is famous for its hydrangeas, which bloom along the Hydrangea Path in June and July. The temple is built on two levels and also includes an underground cave. The cave, called benten kutsu cave, contains a long winding tunnel with a low ceiling and various statues and devotionals to Benzaiten, the sea goddess and the only female of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese mythology.
The grounds of the temple are home to hundreds of small Jizō statues, placed by parents mourning offspring lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. These statues remain in place for about a year, before being removed to make way for more statues; it is estimated that some 50,000 Jizō statues have been placed at Hase-dera since WWII.[2]
Kaikozan Hase-dera is also part of the Kamakura pilgrimage circuit, also consisting of 33 sites,[3] and is station 4 of the 33 temples of the Kantō Pilgrimage.