One Day in Uji, Japan: Things To Do, See & Eat
Uji is a gorgeous little city in Japan located just 20 minutes by train from Kyoto. It’s actually the place where they make loads of tea, such as Matcha and Uji-cha and is therefore often called the ‘tea capital’ of Japan.
Uji is a small city so it’s perfect for a day trip. However, it’s definitely also nice to stay for a weekend as it’s really a picturesque town.
Here’s a list of things to do, see and eat when you find yourself in Uji for a day or a weekend.
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Things To Do & See
Visit Byodo-in temple
One of the main sights to see in Uji, this temple is a Buddhist temple built in the late Heian period. It’s a gorgeous temple in the middle of a pond and it’s surrounded by a beautiful garden. There’s also a little museum next to it where you can find artworks and statues, some of which date back to the 10th century. The museum access is included in the Temple ticket price.
Enjoy the river view on Tachibana Island
Just a short walk from Byodo-In Temple is this island which they made into a little park. I thought it was so serene to have a stroll around, and take in the river view and the hills with the forest in the background. Then walking over the picturesque Asagiribashi bridge is the perfect segue to head to the other side of Uji, where you will find less tourists and a more quiet and residential neighbourhood.
Check out the Tale of Genji Museum
The Tale of Genji is a famous Japanese story about the son of an Emperor in the Heian period . This museum shows artefacts of this tale in an interactive way. It’s all in Japanese though - but you can get an English Audioguide at the entrance. It’s a relatively small museum, and visiting it will take you around an hour.
Visit the Uji Shrine, Ujigami Jinja and Kōshō-ji Temple
Close to the Tale of Genji Museum there are a few beautiful shrines that you can visit while you’re in the area. There’s the Uji Shrine, the Ujigami Jinja and Kōshō-ji Temple. They’re lovely to visit as, unlike the shrines and temples in Kyoto, they are not busy at all and you can roam around without many people around you.
There’s also tours available that show you the different temples and shrines while explaining the history and significance behind them, such as this one on GetYourGuide.
Buy tea at the Uji Tea Factory
No visit to Uji is complete without trying and buying some famous Uji tea! At this place, you can find a ton of different green teas. Buy some for yourself and for others as this is the perfect place to stock up on some authentic and traditional Japanese o-cha.
Walk in the cute streets of Uji
What better way to discover a place then to just stroll around without a goal? That’s what you should do in Uji too. I loved strolling around the area just across from the Asagiribashi bridge. It was a but more residential and so peaceful to walk around there.
Make sure to visit some of the cute souvenir shops too, such as this one.
Do some hiking up the hills to get a stunning view
Uji is surrounded by forests and hills, so if you love hiking in the nature, there’s definitely some hikes you can do while you’re there. For example, there is this trail that you can hike to get a gorgeous view on Uji: you can hike to the Daikichiyama Observation deck, which will take you less than 30 minutes.
You can also join a walking tour, like this one, which will take you to the above mentioned observation deck, and other landmarks.
Where To Eat
Eat Matcha Soft Serve & a Matcha Latte at Masuda Chaho
This tea house not only serves delicious Matcha drinks but also some super tasty Matcha soft serve. I tried the soft serve and it was amazing - the best I’ve ever tried! So definitely stop by at Masuda Chaho - it’s just next to the Byodo-in Temple.
Eat Soba at Torikiku
For a delicious lunch or breakfast stop by this Soba place called Torikiku. They’ve got different kinds of soba noodle dishes, that comes with a portion of tempura, soup and some other side dishes.
Drink tea and eat Japanese sweets at Nakamura Tokichi Byodo-in
This famous tea house serves traditional Japanese Matcha sweets along with tea. The building itself is also very beautiful, with wooden traditional architecture showcasing the Japanese heritage.
How To Get There
Uji is very easy to get to from Kyoto main station as it just takes about 20-30 minutes to get there. There’s trains departing from Kyoto station almost every 15 minutes. This is also covered by the JR Pass. You will need to take the train in the direction of Nara, and Uji is basically situated in between Kyoto and Nara.
From Osaka, you can also take the train, which will take around an hour to Uji. You can either go via Kyoto or via the Keihan Railway. The latter is not covered by the JR Pass.
When To Go
Uji is lovely to visit all year round, with each season having it’s own speciality.
In the autumn, you can see the mesmerising and colourful autumn foliage surrounding Uji. Autumn is often cited as being the most beautiful season to visit Kyoto and surrounding areas, but it is also the busiest tourist period.
In spring, you’ll find beautiful spring blossoms all around the area and especially at the Byodo-in Temple. And in the summer, everything is lush and green and the sun will be out most of the time.
Wintertime might be colder, but you will also enjoy far less crowds and will be able to see Uji in a tranquil setting.
Where To Stay
If you want to stay for a weekend in Uji, of course there are some guest houses and hotels you can stay at that are all reasonably priced as most tourists stay in Kyoto.
Check out all the options below via Booking.com:
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