At the south of Kyoto there is a little city called Uji, well known for its green tea and matcha production. You can easily spend a day there, while you are staying with us in Kyoto. From Kyoto Station, take the Nara Line to Nara or Joyo and go out at Uji Station (around 20 min for the trip), then you’ll have to walk just for 10 minutes to arrive in the city center.
Let’s start the day !
I can only recommend you to start to walk by the river named Ujigawa, the landscape change depending on the season, it is a good spot to take some pictures ! Cross the bridge and once on the other side of the city you can see some tea and matcha fields. They starting planting green tea around the 12th Century. Also make a stop at Ujikami Jinja Shrine, it is said that this shrine might be one of the oldest standing shrine in all Japan !
If you are a fan of the famous novel The Tale of Genji, please don’t leave the city without visiting the Tale of Genji Museum, where you can see some exhibitions, projected images and models displayed in English.
Feeling hungry ?
Then after lunch, (many traditional restaurants offered different options in Uji) do not forget to try some matcha cake or, one of my favorite, Dango with matcha sauce. Dango is a kind of dumpling made with rice flour, it’s very sweet and goes very well with the matcha sauce.
How to end this day perfectly…
In the afternoon, go and see the most popular tourist attraction in Uji : Byodo-in Temple. You can see a beautiful garden, you also have access to a museum displayed in English and last but not least you’ll get to see the Phoenix Hall in the middle of a pond. In the inside there is a huge Buddha created by Jocho, known to have been one of the best Buddhist sculptor in the Heian Period. did you know that Byodo-in Temple is represented at the back of the 10 yen coin ?!
Before you go back to Kyoto, make a stop and buy some matcha or green tea, you will find so many products made with matcha : beauty products, cakes, sweets. It’s all about matcha in here !
If you still have some time ahead, you can step by Kousho-jo Temple or Mimurotoji Temple, also known as the Temple of Flowers (more far away but very beautiful).
I truly recommend you to visit Uji because it’s a great gateway from Kyoto for a day, very easy and fast to go, less tourists, and it’s still very traditional.
Create great memories by staying with us at the Mitsuki Kyoto Ryokan :