Uji
Introduction
Uji sits on the southern outskirts of Kyoto, within Kyoto Prefecture, and is easily reached as an extension of a stay in the larger city. It is a place to slow down rather than rush through, with a compact centre that rewards wandering on foot.
Before you go
Uji sits between Nara and Kyoto, and its history reaches nearly as far back as those two ancient capitals. It is one of Japan's oldest cities, the setting for the closing chapters of The Tale of Genji, and home to stores that have stood for hundreds of years alongside several important temples. Alex Kerr, in Lost Japan, holds it up as a rare historic Japanese city whose modern development has not disrupted its classical beauty. Tea has been celebrated here for almost a thousand years, and in cherry blossom season the bridge over the Uji River makes a memorable walk. Two tourist information centers can help you plan: one beside Byōdō-in Temple, where you can also sign up for the tea ceremony next door, and one by the JR station. Both are reachable by email, and the city government's site offers a downloadable English pamphlet.Getting there
Uji is served by two train stations, and which one you use depends on where you're coming from. The JR station is on the Nara line, with trains from Kyoto taking around 20 minutes and trains from Nara around 35 minutes. The main sights along the river are a short walk from there, making it the most convenient option for most travellers.
The Keihan station sits on the other side of the river but is slightly closer to most of the sights. This line works well if you're planning a day trip from Osaka without a JR pass: trains from Osaka take around 55 minutes with one change at Chushojima. Keihan also offers a Kyoto-Osaka sightseeing pass for one or two days, which gives unlimited rides, works out cheaper than a return ticket, and lets you travel on to Kyoto as well.
Getting around
Uji is compact, and most of its sights sit along the Uji River within walking distance of one another. Both JR Uji Station, south of the river, and Keihan Uji Station, north of the river across Uji Bridge, are each about a ten-minute walk from Byodoin Temple. With a few exceptions, the important historical sites are close enough together that you can cover the historic center in a single day by strolling along the river, and you will probably not need a map — though you can pick one up at either of the tourist offices.
- Three rail companies serve the city: JR West, Keihan, and Kintetsu. The JR station sits on the JR Nara Line between Kyoto and Nara and is served by local and express trains; the Japan Rail Pass covers this line. The Keihan Uji Line runs from Chushojima and ends along the river at Keihan Uji Station, right beside Uji Bridge, with all trains stopping at every station — a good option for a day trip from Osaka without a JR pass, though Keihan is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Kintetsu serves West Uji on its Kyoto–Nara line but has no station close to the main sights.
- Local buses have routes in the city and are particularly useful for reaching sights away from the center, connecting both JR Uji Station and Keihan Uji Station with Mimurotoji Temple. Charter buses to and from Kansai International (KIX) and Itami airports can be caught at most of the train stations.
- Mampukuji and Mimurotoji temples lie farther out; good walkers can reach them in about thirty minutes from the river. For Mampukuji, the most convenient access is a short walk from Obaku Station.
- A pleasant riverside walk begins directly across from Keihan Uji Station: the route to the base of the Amagase Dam follows the river on a paved road and passes several grassy open spaces where you can rest and picnic.
- If you plan to use Keihan services, the company offers a special Kyoto–Osaka sightseeing pass with unlimited rides for one or two days, which can be cheaper than a return ticket and also lets you travel to Kyoto. It is not valid on JR, and the Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Keihan. Fares and schedules change, so check current prices when you travel.
Where to stay
Uji has only a handful of places to stay, so many travellers base themselves in Kyoto or Nara and visit on a day trip. If you would rather wake up beside the river, the town's accommodation is made up of traditional ryokan.
- Hanayashiki-Ukifune-en, at Tounoshima-mae, is a beautifully appointed ryokan with views of the Uji River from the rooms and from the sauna upstairs. Rates include breakfast, with the option of two meals at the hotel restaurant.
- Seizan-so, on Uji-Tounokawa, is another ryokan looking out over the Uji River, and has two public baths. Both Japanese-style and Western-style rooms are available, and rates rise on weekends and holidays.
Food & drink
Uji's food and drink revolve around green tea, which shows up in almost everything you eat here. Cha-soba mixes green tea into regular soba noodles, and you'll also find cha-udon restaurants. Green-tea ice cream is everywhere, including the soft-serve cones, and green-tea dango often comes as the sweet served alongside matcha. Beyond tea, the town serves Kyoto cuisine such as yuba and kaiseki-ryori. A map of restaurants and shops is available from the tourism information centre near Byodo-in.
- Renge Chaya — near the front gate of Byodo-in, at the end of Renge, Uji's main shopping street. Staff don't speak English, but English menus are available. It has two floors yet still gets crowded in the early afternoon, so expect a wait; the food is excellent. Bowls of noodles with tempura, filling sets with a variety of noodles and tempura, and a seafood blowout set are on offer.
- Dontaku — a noodle shop directly across from JR Uji station; look for the flashing light in front. It's cheap and tasty, and the champon is worth trying.
For drinking, it's green tea: Uji produces some of the most famous tea in Japan. Otherwise, the town isn't long on nightlife. Nakamura Tokichi Honten, on the river front, serves green tea and maccha desserts, and there's a bigger cafe and shop near the JR rail station.
What to see and do
Uji rewards slow wandering on both sides of the river, where small temples sit among the streets and most major and minor sights have explanatory displays in English and Japanese. On the west bank, Byōdō-in is the centrepiece: its Phoenix Hall, familiar from the ¥10 coin, is the only building to have survived intact, protected by its pond, and the entrance fee also covers a museum of temple artifacts with English translations throughout. Entering the hall itself costs extra and is by guided tour only, with no photography inside, so arrive well before the last tour if you want to see the Buddha Amida up close. Nearby, the Tale of Genji Museum across the river uses English audio guides to explain the city's role in the classic, and statues commemorating the story are scattered throughout Uji. Ujigami Shrine, said to be the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan, and neighbouring Uji Shrine, with its rabbit sculpture, are both free to visit. Kōshō-ji is a working Zen temple with a long, tree-covered approach from the river that is especially lovely in autumn; keep quiet, as chants hang in the air in the late afternoon. Mimuroto-ji draws flower lovers for its mountainside paths among hydrangea, rhododendron and azaleas, best from mid-May to July, while Mampuku-ji, head temple of the Ōbaku Zen sect, shows Chinese influence in its Ming-style roofs. The Nintendo Museum occupies the company's old plant, with historical items and interactive experiences, and the Amagase Dam to the south can be reached on a scenic walkway along either shore. Because Uji is a tea town, it is a natural place to try a traditional tea ceremony. The municipal tea house Taihō-an sits along the river near Byōdō-in, serving Sencha or Matcha in a tatami building, with tickets bought at the tourist information office next door; the tearoom at Nakamura Tokichi Honten offers a longer programme that includes grinding matcha powder and tasting both koicha and usucha. Time a visit for the Tea Festival on the first Sunday of October, when costumes, prayers of thanks to the luminaries of tea history, tea-tasting competitions and free tea fill the city. On summer nights, cormorant fishing takes place along the Uji River, with fishermen using fire, nets and trained birds; boat tours run during the season and get you close to the action. For a view over the area, hike Mt. Buttoko east of the river, which has an observatory at the top. Kyō pottery has been a local tradition since the Muromachi period, and you can find Asashiyaki Pottery near Kōshō-ji and Shizugawa Togei Kyoshitsu further south, or take a taxi to Sumiyama Pottery Village to tour workshops in the Kyo and Kiyomizu traditions and try design and painting classes.Three days in Uji
Day one: Arrive in Uji and orient yourself around the river. Both JR Uji Station and Keihan Uji Station put you within reach of the Uji River, so pick your approach based on where you're coming from - the JR Nara Line runs from Kyoto and Nara, while the Keihan Uji Line connects through Chushojima from Osaka. Once settled, walk the riverbanks and cross Uji Bridge, the historic span that anchors the town. Spend the afternoon getting a feel for the place that Alex Kerr wrote about in Lost Japan, and take your time over tea, the crop that shaped Uji's identity.
- JR Uji Station (JR West, JR Nara Line)
- Keihan Uji Station (Keihan Uji Line)
- Uji River and Uji Bridge
Day two: Give the day to Byodoin Temple, Uji's essential sight and the reason many visitors make the trip from Kyoto or Nara. The temple and its surroundings reward a slow visit rather than a rushed one. Afterwards, return to the riverside and continue exploring West Uji, where the town's tea culture is most evident. If you're travelling on a Japan Rail Pass, the JR Nara Line makes it easy to combine Uji with Kyoto or Nara in a single journey.
- Byodoin Temple
- West Uji
Day three: Use your final day to fill any gaps. Revisit the Uji River if the weather suits a walk, or spend more time with the tea shops and streets you passed earlier. The Tale of Genji's connection to Uji gives the town a literary layer worth seeking out before you leave. When it's time to move on, both JR Uji Station and Keihan Uji Station offer straightforward connections onward - JR West and Kintetsu services link the area to Kyoto, Nara and Osaka, so plan your exit around whichever line suits your next stop.
- Uji River
- JR Uji Station
- Keihan Uji Station