Liz here. I have been following all the informative posts and comments on the horrific assassination here, and reluctantly keeping up on covid, so I thought a post about tranquility and natural beauty might be appreciated . This is the lotus season and if you are looking for a slightly isolated spot to enjoy both a stroll around a large historically interesting temple , (with lots of statues and its own wikipedia page) , and a photo session at their modest lotus pond (which also has water lilies), then Kawashiri’s Daiji Zen Temple is the place for you. I don’t know if they have resumed their Sunday morning zazen sessions, but if you are interested in joining them on a regular basis you should call (or have a Japanese friend call for you if you don’t speak Japanese.) The pond is behind the temple buildings and the area there is a bit unkempt at the moment. Try to get there before 10, as the blossoms begin closing up later in the morning. Slather on your bug repellent, be prepared to be serenaded by cicadas and some very vociferous crows(so much for tranquility!), but above all be respectful of the wildlife and the temple.
link to the temple wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiji-ji_