Lotus Flower

　When it comes to flowers that add colour to Kyoto in summer, the lotus is the one to mention.

　The best time to see lotus flowers is from July to August. The lotus flowers at Chion-in Temple have also begun to bloom beautifully.

　As they start to open around 6 o’clock in the morning and close by midday, they can only be seen in the early hours of the morning.

　The lotus holds great significance in Buddhism. It is said that the *Vimalakirti Sutra*, one of the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, contains the phrase ‘the lotus remains pure whilst in the mud’ (hasu wa deichū ni atte isagiyoshi). This refers to the lotus’s ability to bloom beautifully even whilst growing in mud, and by extension, symbolises people and things that remain untainted by the impurities of the world.

　Although the temperature in Kyoto today exceeded 39 degrees, gazing at the lotus flowers makes it feel just a little cooler.