Shifukuji is a quiet temple located in the hilly Kitayama neighborhood of Sendai. For most of the year, it attracts few sightseers. Come the end of June, however, locals flock here to see the ajisai (hydrangeas) in bloom. Tall bushes of the beautiful blue and violet flowers grow in large numbers along the path leading to the temple and in the temple garden, making the grounds feel like heaven’s doorstep.