Uji city, best known for its green tea production, isn’t exactly ‘off the beaten track.’ It’s home to Byо̄dо̄-in, the temple gracing the back of the ¥10 coin, and is the setting for part of the 11th century epic novel, The Tale of Genji. However, this mini-city retains a quiet charm that’s becoming increasingly hard to find in modern Japan.
Ten, maybe fifteen years ago, Kyoto city had a character similar to today’s Uji city. Kyoto was a repository of Japanese culture and history, and a city at its peak in the Heian period. While the neighbouring cities of Osaka and Kobe had become hubs of industry and modernity, Kyoto stayed humble; a little wooden warren, well-worn and largely under the radar.
Kyoto, though, has found its fame, driven in no small part by the ubiquity of idyllic images on social media. The city’s quiet charms still exist for those who know where to look, but the year-on-year increase in international visitors is slowly changing Kyoto’s landscape, permanently.
Visitors who follow a ‘slow travel’ ethos may prefer the modest or the mundane over bright lights and vibrant colours. Quiet moments – the sun illuminating burnt-orange persimmons against a blue sky, or the sway of a shimenawa (paper talisman) in a breeze – are becoming rare in a noisy, frenetic world.
It’s Uji, then, that’s the antidote. Easily on the JR Nara line from Kyoto station, taking 20 minutes on a rapid or 30 minutes on a local train. Expect the first fifteen minutes of the trip to be tightly packed with tourists, most of whom will disembark at Fushimi Inari Shrine. From here, the train trundles past the southern reaches of the Higashiyama hills and over the wide plains leading south, towards Osaka.
JR Uji station is a short walk from Byо̄dо̄-in, which is the main attraction for tourists visiting Uji city.
Heading in the temple’s direction will lead to Byо̄dо̄-in’s omotesandо̄ (merchant street). Once a quiet avenue lined with shops selling used ceramics and dried green tea, it’s now Uji’s most packed ‘tourist street’, filled with restaurants specialising in every kind of green tea-themed food imaginable. Visitors can choose from flavoured noodles, ice cream, pancakes, and sweets, all in an appealing shade of grassy green. At the end of the street is a Starbucks, which also sells their well-known Matcha Frappé.
If you’re looking to sample some green tea goods from shops on the omotesandо̄, it’s best to arrive early, before it becomes crowded. From the Starbucks at the end of the street, you’ll be bypassing Byо̄dо̄-in and heading towards the banks of the River Uji.
First, you’ll see the wide arc of the Uji Bridge. The bridge isn’t just a piece of infrastructure: it’s one of Japan’s oldest bridges, and has been the site of some major historical events. It is thought to have first been constructed in the year 646, but the current structure was built in 1996. Its present design has adhered closely to its earliest incarnation, offering a river view as it might have appeared nearly 1500 years ago. The bridge was also featured in Lady Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th century epic, The Tale of Genji, as a key battleground between warring clans. Lady Murasaki’s statue stands at the western entrance to the bridge, in honour of her role in cementing Uji’s place in history.
The views from all of the River Uji’s major and minor bridges are spectacular, and worth a small detour from any wandering route. The river is wide and languid as it passes underneath, with rushing tributaries and rapids further up in the surrounding hills.
An especially scenic (but often surprisingly empty) area to visit on any walk through Uji is the Tо̄-no-shima island. Built upon a natural outcrop in the riverbed, Tо̄-no-shima is connected to the riverbank by several ornate vermilion bridges. Walking to the farthest end of the island from the aforementioned Starbucks will take you along this route; an ideal showcase of Uji’s rustic intrigue. The river is dotted with long wooden boats, which serve as cormorant fishing vessels for summer tourist appeal. Out of season, though, they sit forgotten on the river, overlooked by scarcely used riverside buildings. The walk is quiet, decorated by the occasional tattered paper lantern swaying in the wind. Away from the high seasons of spring and summer, Uji retains its character through collections of quiet moments: the sound of the river rushing over the weir under the Miryu Bridge, or the barely perceptible movements of gargantuan karasugoi (crow-black koi carp) gliding easily through the minor river’s still waters.
After taking in the ambience of the valley, you can make your way along the narrow island, through the prefectural park and along to the Asagiri bridge. The bridge is another of traditional design, painted in vermilion. You’ll arrive on the other side at Uji Shrine. You can head straight in, or turn right, taking a detour to some of the best-hidden temples in Uji. If you’re a committed walker, you may also want to stretch your legs by making the half-hour walk to the Hakko Bridge (doable on either side of the river), which overlooks the abandoned NewJec Hydro Lab. The eerily empty building is a part of Uji’s hydroelectric dam development.
Uji Shrine itself is unassuming, set into a gentle slope and surrounded by trees. It was built to enshrine the spirits of Emperor Ōjin and Prince Uji-no-Wakiiratsuko. You’ll notice that the theme of the shrine is ‘rabbit’, and the image of a white, red-eyed bunny is emblazoned on every lantern and ema (votive tablet). Rabbits are traditionally symbolic of safe and prolific childbirth, and highly covetable rabbit-themed omamori (lucky charms) are also sold here.
An entire outbuilding has been erected to house the immense number of ema which have been decorated and hung in the shrine. The circular tablets feature a blank rabbit face, which can be decorated after purchase. It’s easy to spend ages nosing through the designs, with the prayers written most often in Japanese, Korean, and English.
The shrine is in regular use, with people receiving individual blessings from the resident Shintо̄ priest further inside the honden (shrine’s central hall). A persimmon tree arcs over the stairs leading to the main building, bare of leaves in winter but still bending under the weight of ripe fruits. Don’t be fooled; they look delicious, but this oval-shaped variety is viciously astringent.
The shrine is usually quietest on weekdays, especially in late autumn and throughout winter. Light from a low sun illuminates the space in a near-constant golden hour, creating a relaxing and contemplative atmosphere. Exiting the shrine, you’ll pass a bronze rabbit fountain, green with patina save for a golden bald spot on his head after many years of ‘touching for luck.’ Exiting the shrine past the large stone komainu (lion-dogs), turn right and follow the path to the smaller Ujigami Shrine.
‘Ujigami’ simply means ‘above Uji’, and this long, low building is another great place to buy cute bunny omamori. Ujigami Shrine is almost entirely overlooked by overseas visitors, but its importance in Japanese architectural history can’t be overstated. It is the oldest existing example of the ‘nagare-zukuri’ (streamlined gabled roof) building style in Japan; something architecture buffs won’t want to miss.
Beyond Uji Shrine and Ujigami Shrine, the residential streets of Uji city can offer almost endless possibilities to the slow-paced psychogeographer. Streets are peppered with old wooden townhouses, rich in wonky charm. It evokes an almost ‘Studio Ghibli’ kind of atmosphere; a warm kind of familiarity, which feels easy and unhurried.
Naturally, coffee-and-cake refuelling stops are a necessary part of a long day of ambling. Close to Uji Shrine is the Uji Biyori cafe, offering cakes and sweets with a panoramic river view. If you happen to be visiting in June, a visit to Mimuroto-ji is a must. It will most definitely be busy, but this is due to the spectacular annual blooming of the temple’s swathes of uncommonly large hydrangeas. If you’ve missed this season, note that July through to September is when lotus plants (Nelumbo nucifera) begin to tower above their ponds, with pink flowers blooming at the height of summer. Mimuroto-ji is set just behind this enormous lotus pond, and framed by verdant hills of maple and bamboo.
With Uji’s main attractions syphoning off the majority of the city’s tourists, the lesser-known areas are ideal for a spot of wandering, without a plan or sense of urgency. Absorb the homely and unpolished atmosphere of this little city; a rare opportunity to have a slice of historical Japan to yourself.
Access:
Fastest access to Uji city is on the JR line, which departs from platform 9 and 10 of Kyoto station. The journey takes around 20 (local) or 30 (rapid) minutes and costs ¥240 each way.
Name: Uji Shrine, Ujigami Shrine
Address: Uji Shrine: Japan, 〒611-0021 Kyoto, Uji, Yamada-1 / Ujigami Shrine: Japan, 〒611-0021 Kyoto, Uji, Yamada-59
Open: Always open
Admission: Free
Website: Uji Shrine: https://uji-jinja.com/
Ujigami Shrine: https://ujikamijinja.amebaownd.com/
Post by Japan Journeys.
