Ancient lotus in Okayama Prefecture reaches its peak

At Korakuen Garden in Okayama Prefecture, one of the three great gardens of Japan, two types of lotus are grown.
The Oga lotus, named after a botanist from Okayama, began to bloom in early June and are in full bloom. Oga Ichiro discovered the species at an archaeological site in Chiba Prefecture in 1951. Lotus awakened from a 2000-year slumber spread throughout the country.
The white lotus, which grows to nearly 30 centimeters in diameter and features a pale purple edging, started blooming mid-June.
The lotus flowers open at dawn and return to bud at noon, so many people visit in the morning at this time of year.