Town guide
Uji
宇治市
A riverside city in Kyoto Prefecture, famous for two things: Byodo-in, a World Heritage temple whose Phoenix Hall dates from 1053, and high-quality green tea grown here since the Ashikaga shoguns. The last chapters of The Tale of Genji are set in Uji.
1 place to see · 2 protected local foods · 12 traditional crafts
City in Kyoto
Good to know
- Byodo-in's Phoenix Hall, built in 1053, is the picture on the back of the 10 yen coin.
- Uji has been a centre of fine green tea since Ashikaga Yoshimitsu promoted it; Tsuen, said to be Japan's oldest tea shop, has served tea since 1160.
- The last ten chapters of The Tale of Genji take place here, and the Tale of Genji Museum tells the story.
- The main sights are within walking distance of each other and easy to reach by train.
Things to see in Uji
Byodo-in Temple
平等院Temple in Uji whose Phoenix Hall, built in 1053 and reflected in a pond, appears on the 10-yen coin.
Map of Uji
Every place on this page, on the map. Switch on places to eat and stay nearby.
Things to do in Uji
Nearby towns and day trips
Taste and take home
Foods with a protected name and officially recognised crafts from Kyoto.
Japan Heritage stories in Kyoto
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.