Kyoto city gets all the fame in the prefecture—for better or for worse. But just south of the bustling tourist attraction lies Uji (宇治), its quieter cousin. Uji makes some of the best green tea in Japan. And like most cities in this cultural center of Japan, it boasts famous shrines and temples to entice the pickiest of history buffs. While you might be tempted to skip Uji for the more popular areas of Kyoto prefecture, this city has plenty to offer!
Uji tea
While green tea grows all over Japan, Uji holds the distinction for the highest quality in the country. When you realize how much tea people here drink, that’s high praise! Uji produces everything from high-grade matcha and gyokuro, to roasted hojicha and sencha—which is just regular green tea, prevalent in offices and households throughout Japan.
Even the food in Uji is made of green tea! Not a tea drinker? I guarantee you will find the food enjoyable anyway. Of course they sell the usual desserts like mochi and ice cream. And you can also find main dishes like soba noodles and tofu. I can’t say that much of the food actually tastes like green tea… But as an ingredient, it does lend umami and a certain depth to the overall flavor.
If you’re a fan of the popular green tea brand 伊藤久右衛門 in Japan, you’re in luck. A mere 12-minute walk from JR Uji station lies its flagship specialty store. Beware, the affiliated restaurant may require an hour or two of lining up. The gift shop, however, carries a plethora of delicious omiyage that you can buy with no wait. (I recommend the matcha soba noodles and the hojicha instant curry.) You can also get one of their delicious parfaits to-go!
For lunch, head down to the restaurants along the Omotesando shopping street. They all serve basically the same green-tea centered meals, so just choose one with no line. Some even have seats overlooking the river, lending to a truly Kyoto-esque atmosphere!
Byoudouin
Flip a 10-yen coin over and you’ll see the depiction of a temple. It’s actually based off a real place! After your lunch in Omotesando, take a walk down the shopping street and you’ll end up looking at the face of the 10-yen coin, Byoudouin.
The grounds make for a nice, leisurely walk. The beautiful wisteria garden brings to mind the anime Demon Slayer, and you can check out the various (some unique!) lotus flowers growing around the lake. The main temple is called Phoenix Hall—for the statues on its roof—with an unusual architecture from the Heian period.
For those interested in history or art, take a tour of the museum, included for free with your entrance ticket of 600 yen. Tours inside the temple cost an additional 300 yen. But the intricate statues and paintings seen inside make it worth the price.
Uji – a traditional Japanese city
Personally, I avoid Kyoto because of the insane crowds of tourists. However, Uji showed me that I can still enjoy certain parts of Kyoto. Nothing quite beats warming yourself with a cup of matcha on the banks of a slow-moving river, after spending the day visiting a piece of history like Byoudouin.
If you enjoy quieter parts of Japan like me, subscribe for more ideas for your next trip! If you’re in west Japan, for example, why not give Ako a try?