This species is native to Japan and much of both collecting from the wild and breeding of new cultivars has been carried out in Japan thus explaining the mostly Japanese names. They are mostly smaller and more delicately structured that hydrangea macrophylla lacecaps.  Their leaves are smaller and thinner and often colour reddish in the autumn.  The flowers heads are also smaller and more delicate, however this does not distract from their beauty as there are plenty of stunningly beautiful cultivars now available.