Approx. 20 Minutes from Kyoto Station! 10 Popular Uji Sightseeing Spots You Can Enjoy on a Day Trip

If you're visiting Uji, spring or summer is recommended.
In spring, Approx. 2,000 cherry trees bloom along the banks of the Uji River, letting you stroll through a distinctly Japanese setting while visiting sightseeing spots.
From late March to early April, yakatabune pleasure boats operate, and it is also recommended to enjoy the cherry blossoms from the boat with tea and Japanese sweets.
Summer in Uji is also appealing, as you can watch the Uji River cormorant fishing, one of Kyoto’s signature summer traditions. This classical fishing method has continued since the Heian period over 1,000 years ago, and is a must-see.

From JR Kyoto Station, the main gateway to Kyoto, it takes Approx. 20 minutes to reach Uji by rapid train.
It is also accessible from Osaka in under an hour.
Since Uji can be enjoyed on a day trip from Kyoto City or Osaka, be sure to add it to your travel plans.

Originally used as a villa by the Heian-period political leader Fujiwara no Michinaga, it was inherited by his son Yorimichi, who converted it into a temple in 1052.
It was registered as a World Heritage site in 1994. Following renovations in 2014, it is said to have come closer to its original appearance.
The Amida Hall, which enshrines a statue of Amida Nyorai, is a must-see. Its magnificent symmetry is sure to captivate you.
At the time it was founded, the belief in rebirth in the Pure Land was popular, and the hall was built to evoke a palace in the Pure Land paradise.

This museum stands within the grounds of the World Heritage site Byodoin, famous for its magnificent Phoenix Hall, which recreates the Pure Land paradise in this world.
To harmonize with the elegant garden scenery designated as a Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty, most of the building is underground.
By skillfully incorporating natural light and carefully designing the lighting, it creates a dramatic space that hardly feels underground.

This historic approach leads to the main gate of the World Heritage site Byodoin.
It is a 10-minute walk from JR Uji Station and just across Uji Bridge from Keihan Uji Station, making it easy to access from either station.
Long-established Uji tea shops dating back to the Muromachi period line both sides of the street, filling the area with the aroma of tea.

An ancient shrine registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
It is said to have been built in 1060 as the guardian shrine of Byodoin in Uji, which was constructed in 1053.
As a tutelary deity protecting the land of Uji, it has long been worshipped by everyone from commoners to aristocrats, and it still draws deep reverence today.

A public museum themed around The Tale of Genji, the timeless classic written by Murasaki Shikibu in the Heian period and still read today more than a thousand years later.
Through models and videos, it clearly introduces the Uji Chapters, which are set mainly in Uji, as well as the protagonist Hikaru Genji.

The tutelary shrine of Uji, with a history of 1,710 years since its founding in 313, when Emperor Nintoku ascended the throne.
The shrine grounds at the eastern end of Asagiri Bridge over the Uji River are said to be the site of a detached palace of Emperor Ojin, father of Emperor Nintoku, and the residence of Emperor Nintoku’s younger brother, Prince Uji no Wakiiratsuko.

A landmark of Uji that is the first thing you see when you exit the ticket gate at Keihan Uji Station.
According to the Ujibashi Danpi monument at Hashidera Hoshoin Temple, the bridge is said to have been built in 646 by the monk Dotō of Gangoji Temple in Nara, and is counted among Japan’s three oldest bridges alongside Seta no Karahashi Bridge and Yamazaki Bridge.

Koshoji Temple in Uji City was the first Zen temple in Japan, founded by Dogen, the founder of the Soto school.
It was originally established in Fukakusa, Fushimi Ward, in 1236, fell into ruin during times of war, and was rebuilt at its current location in 1645 in the early Edo period.
Its appearance changes beautifully with the seasons, including cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall, and it has also been designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty by Kyoto Prefecture.

A botanical park of Approx. 10 hectares spread across the hilly southwestern area of Uji City.
The “Tapestry of Flowers and Water” at the front entrance is Japan’s largest three-dimensional flower bed, with 3,675 planters arranged on a grand stepped display 62 meters wide and 18 meters high.
This giant flower bed, depicting motifs associated with Uji City in a style reminiscent of traditional Japanese brocade prints using seasonal plants, is both striking and beautiful.

A Nintendo PR facility that opened on October 2, 2024. Renovated from the former Nintendo Uji Ogura factory, it offers a look at Nintendo’s history and dedication to craftsmanship through a variety of exhibits.
The first area you visit displays the many products Nintendo has released over the years. From the Family Computer to the latest Nintendo Switch, the sight of hardware and software from every generation lined up is truly impressive!
The shop selling official goods and museum-exclusive items, as well as the café where you can customize your hamburger ingredients and toppings, are also popular.
Tickets must be requested in advance and can only be purchased if you are selected in the lottery. Since there is no parking, please visit by public transportation other than taxi.

Koshoji Temple in Uji City was the first Zen temple in Japan, founded by Dogen, the founder of the Soto school.
It is especially known for Kotosaka, the Approx. 200-meter approach leading to the Ryuguzukuri-style temple gate. It is said to have been named because the murmuring stream flowing beside the gentle slope sounded like a koto harp. Its appearance changes beautifully with the seasons, including cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall, and it has also been designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty by Kyoto Prefecture.

The head temple of the Obaku school, one of Japan’s three major Zen schools alongside the Rinzai and Soto schools. Founded in 1661 by the eminent Chinese monk Ingen Zenji, it allows visitors to fully experience Chinese culture of the time through its buildings, rituals, and cuisine.
The buildings are arranged symmetrically around the main hall, Daiyuhoden, and incorporate architectural styles and designs that were popular in China during the late Ming dynasty, when Ingen Zenji came to Japan.
The Chinese-style Buddhist vegetarian cuisine known as fucha ryori, served at the temple, is also popular (reservation required).

A botanical park of Approx. 10 hectares spread across the hilly southwestern area of Uji City. The “Tapestry of Flowers and Water” at the front entrance is Japan’s largest three-dimensional flower bed, with 3,675 planters arranged on a grand stepped display 62 meters wide and 18 meters high. This giant flower bed, depicting motifs associated with Uji City in a style reminiscent of traditional Japanese brocade prints using seasonal plants, is both striking and beautiful. It is also an excellent photo spot.

A large leisure spot in the hilly area of Uji, Kyoto, covering a total area of Approx. 108 hectares, where nature and sports come together. The park includes natural forest areas divided by themes such as Adventure Forest, Play Forest, and Fureai Forest, with giant athletic equipment and field playgrounds scattered throughout, making it easy to forget the bustle of the city.

A facility in Uji, known as a tea-producing area, that shares the appeal of Uji tea as well as Uji’s history and culture. Its vast site of Approx. 2.5 hectares preserves and makes use of the remains of the Ujigawa Taikotei Ruins, excavated in 2007, and is divided into a Historic Site Zone and an Exchange Zone.
Various tea-related hands-on programs are also held every day, including a matcha-making experience where you grind matcha yourself with a tea mill and compare freshly ground matcha with commercially available matcha, a tea-tasting experience comparing different Uji teas, and craft workshops.

Tsujiri Uji Honten in Uji, Kyoto, is a long-established Uji tea shop with a history of more than 165 years. Carrying on the tradition of Uji tea, one of Japan’s most celebrated teas, it offers high-quality matcha and tea leaves. It also inherits the spirit of Tsuji Riemon, who contributed to the development of Uji tea in the late Edo period (around 1850 to 1860).
In addition to selling Uji tea, the shop also has a tearoom where you can enjoy matcha sweets. Popular matcha parfaits and Japanese sweets let you casually experience the authentic flavors of a long-established shop.

A Japanese tea specialty shop founded in 1854 in Uji, which is known throughout Japan as a producer of high-quality Japanese tea.
It continues to offer outstanding teas that are delicious to drink regardless of shape or appearance, including its secret original Japanese tea “Nakamura-cha,” which is mellow yet refreshing, as well as “sencha” with a clean, crisp character and “gyokuro” with a rich umami flavor.

A long-established tea shop founded in 1832 with its main store in Uji, one of Japan’s leading producers of high-quality tea leaves.
While cherishing the traditions passed down since its founding, it continues to develop new matcha sweets one after another and share new value in tea.

Tea is indispensable not only to food, but also to Japanese culture.
Located in southeastern Kyoto Prefecture, Uji is one of the top tea-producing regions in Japan.
Uji tea, made through a distinctive cultivation method in which the tea plants are shaded before harvest to enhance the umami of the leaves, along with excellent tea processing and blending techniques, is widely known in Japan and abroad as a premium tea.

A tea specialty café where you can enjoy Uji tea, a local specialty of Uji, while looking out over the Uji River. You can choose your favorite Uji tea from the café menu and brew it yourself while being guided by staff certified as Japanese tea instructors. Since each step is explained carefully, even first-timers can feel at ease. You can also learn the unusual way of enjoying the tea leaves after brewing by eating them with ponzu sauce or salt. The café menu includes three options, each served with sweets: Uji gyokuro, Uji matcha, and Uji sencha.

A whole-building rental inn in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, where you can stay as if you were spending time at a private villa.
Limited to one group per day and accommodating up to four guests, the inn charms with its tasteful Japanese-Western style interior and natural hinoki cypress bath.
The spacious guest room area consists of one Japanese-style room and one Western-style room, meeting a variety of needs including families with children and long stays.

Approx. 5 minutes by car from JR Uji Station.
This ryokan stands near the Uji River and offers easy access to Uji’s World Heritage sites, Ujigami Shrine and Byodoin, in this area rich with historical charm.
All guest rooms overlook the Uji River, and guests can also view Tonoshima Island in the middle of the river.

A conveniently located hotel about a 3-minute walk from the south exit of JR Uji Station.
It is Approx. 9 minutes on foot to the World Heritage site Byodoin, and Ujigami Shrine, The Tale of Genji Museum, and the Nintendo Museum are all within a 25-minute walk, making it ideal for sightseeing around Uji.
It also offers easy access to both Kyoto City and Nara City, making it a convenient base for efficiently exploring both ancient capitals.