Uji Insider: Our Complete Immersion in the World of Matcha!
- Published on : 19/08/2026
- by : Phoebe
- Youtube
Uji River
@Japan Experience
Welcome to Uji! Just a 20-minute train ride from Kyoto, this is one of the easiest (and most memorable!) day trips you can take from the ancient capital. As the birthplace of matcha, the city reveals its charm through its temples and tea houses. Get ready for a treat: the Japan Experience team will guide you step by step on a day of discovery!
Morning: Between Buddhism and Shinto
9:00 a.m.: The Awakening of Byōdō-in Omotesando Street
Our day begins just outside JR Uji Station. Heading toward the river, Byōdō-in Omotesando Street comes to life to the sound of shop owners raising their metal roll-up shutters one by one.
While visitors will start pouring in an hour later, take the time to explore the city’s largest shopping street while it’s still free of crowds. The roasting machines are already running, giving off aromas of hazelnuts and freshly cut grass. After all, in Uji, it’s truly this “green gold” that has brought wealth to the region!
Byodo-in Omotesando
@Weichen kh on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Byodo-in Omotesando
@Ming-yen Hsu on Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0
Store on Byodo-in Omotesando (Uji)
@espenore on Flickr, CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0
This region enjoys a unique microclimate: misty mornings brought by the river, rich soil, and temperature fluctuations, which give the tea its highly sought-after flavor and lack of bitterness.
Our tip: Take advantage of the free tastings to discover the different varieties of tea. It’ll serve as a light snack and save you time later in the day when it’s time to shop and the crowds have taken over the alley again.
9:30 a.m.: The Phoenix Pavilion
At the end of the path stands the entrance to Byōdō-in Temple. Originally built in 998 as a country villa for the aristocrat Fujiwara no Michinaga, the site was converted into a Buddhist temple in 1052 by his son. Highlights of the tour include:
- The Phoenix Pavilion: It is the temple's absolute gem! It even appears on the 10-yen coins! Set in the center of a lotus-shaped pond, the building seems to float on the water. On its roof, two bronze phoenixes stand guard at either end.
Byōdō-in (Uji)
@Japan Experience
- The Hōshōkan Museum : This is our editorial team’s favorite. Hidden beneath the garden is a striking modern underground museum. There, you’ll get an up-close look at 50 wooden sculptures of Bodhisattvas playing music on clouds, dating back to the 11th century. Although photography is prohibited, the staging and lighting effects alone are enough to leave a lasting impression!
Our tip : The general admission ticket to the temple grants access to the gardens and the museum, but to enter the Phoenix Pavilion and admire the giant statue of Amida Buddha, you’ll need a specific ticket distributed by time slot at the entrance. Buy it as soon as you arrive at 9:30 a.m . to secure entry at 10:00 a.m. or 10:20 a.m.
11:15: Crossing the River
We leave Byōdō-in Temple to cross the Uji River via one of the town’s two wooden bridges: Tachibanabashi and Asagiribashi (both very photogenic!).
On the east bank, at the foot of the mountain, a peaceful haven shaded by centuries-old trees awaits you: the Shinto shrines of Uji.
- Uji-jinja: A charming shrine recognizable by its statue of a divine rabbit (Mikaeri Usagi), which, according to legend, kept turning around to guide a lost prince. For collectors of ema (the famous votive tablets), this is your chance to buy a rabbit-shaped ema!
Uji Shrine
@Japan Experience
- Ujigami-jinja: Located just above, this unassuming-looking shrine is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main hall, built around 1060, is officially recognized as the oldest existing Shinto building in Japan. Breathe in the scent of the wood and draw some water from the Kirimatsu Spring, one of Uji’s seven historic pure water springs! It’s said to bring good luck.
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Noon: Let's enjoy some tea cuisine!
In Uji, tea isn’t just a drink—it’s also eaten. Local cuisine features it in all its forms, adding freshness and a hint of bitterness to traditional dishes. Our favorite spot? Nakamura Tokichi ! This former tea factory is a designated cultural heritage site. We recommend their matcha soba, served on a bamboo pole, followed by a tea jelly. Be sure to arrive around 11 a.m. to put your name on the waiting list, as on weekends and during peak times (in the spring and in the fall), the wait can take over an hour.
Matcha Soba
@Richard Lee on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Check out all our tea-related activities!
Afternoon: Discover traditional crafts!
1:45 p.m.: Pottery workshop at Asahiyaki
Uji isn’t just about tea! It’s also a town with a deep connection to ceramics. Traveling upriver from Ujigami-jinja, we come across the Asahiyaki pottery studio . For 400 years (and 16 generations of the same family!), they’ve been crafting ceramics with a soft feel, fired in wood-fired kilns using clay from the river. Their Hōbin cups and teapots (handle-less teapots ideal for tea) are famous for their minimalist design. Be sure to step inside their gallery-shop overlooking the water. You’ll find some lovely souvenirs there!
Asahiyaki (Uji)
@asahiyaki.com
2:30 p.m.: Introduction to the tea ceremony at Taiho-an
It would be a shame to leave Uji without kneeling on a tatami mat. You don’t need to spend a fortune or book six months in advance— the city has opened the municipal tea house Taiho-an.
For about 500 yen, you’ll be welcomed into a traditional tea pavilion where the ceremony is performed according to proper etiquette. A host in a kimono will prepare matcha right before your eyes, served with wagashi (handmade red bean paste sweets) whose designs change with each season.
The atmosphere is warm and less intimidating than at most formal ceremonies, which makes it easy, for example, to ask questions.
4:00 p.m.: Where to buy tea?
That’s the million-yen question! In Uji, not all shops are created equal. To help you bring home the best the city has to offer, here’s our carefully curated selection of the finest historic tea houses:
- Tsuen Tea: Founded in 1160,it’s the oldest operating tea house in the world. It’s been run by the same family for 24 generations! The current building, located at the foot of the Uji Bridge, dates back to the Edo period (1672).
Our recommendations: their matcha soba (for making soba at home) and their premium first-harvest sencha. We also recommend stopping by for an afternoon snack to try some matcha dango!
Matcha dango from Tsuen Tea (Uji)
@Japan Experience
- Kanbayashi Shunsho: During the Edo period (1603–1868), this family was responsible for organizing the famous “Tea Jar Procession,” which transported tea from Uji to the shogun in Edo (Tokyo). The ground floor is now a charming shop filled with the delightful aroma of tea, while the first floor houses a free museum displaying antique tea scales and grinding stones.
Our recommendations: their competition-grade matcha, stone-ground. It’s like liquid silk once whisked!
- Itoh Kyuemo: this renowned tea house has masterfully incorporated matcha into irresistible contemporary creations.
Our recommendations: their white chocolates filled with matcha, their parfait kits, and their green tea-infused liqueur (Matcha Umeshu).The Tips Guide
The Tips Guide
- Don’t overlook Hojicha!
While matcha is the king of Uji, hojicha (green tea that’s steeped and then roasted at high temperatures) is our absolute favorite. Slightly amber in color, with notes of hazelnut and toast, it contains very little caffeine. It’s the perfect tea for winter evenings, children, and pregnant women!
- How should you store tea you brought back from Japan?
Tea is sensitive to air and heat. Ideally, buy it in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags. Once you get home, store your matcha in the refrigerator and consume it within 2 to 3 months after opening.
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Return Trip: Which Station Should You Choose?
All good things must come to an end, but in Uji, even the departure has its charm. When it’s time to hop on the train, you have two options:
JR Uji Station (a 10-minute walk): direct service to Kyoto and Nara stations
This is the station to choose if you’re heading to Kyoto Central Station (20 minutes by Express train) to catch a Shinkansen or if you choose to continue your journey south to Nara (30 minutes). This is obviously the line to take if you’re traveling with your Japan Rail Pass.
- Keihan Uji Station: Head to Gion, Fushimi Inari, or Osaka
Located right across from the Tsuen tea house, on the other side of the bridge, this station is incredibly convenient. Take the Keihan Line if your hotel is in the historic districts of central Kyoto (Gion, Sanjō, Shijō), if you’d like to make a detour to Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine (get off at Fushimi-Inari Station), or if you’re heading straight to Osaka.
Keihan Uji Station
@Wikimedia, copyright-free
Our final tip: If you choose the Keihan Line, take a few seconds to admire Keihan Uji Station itself! Designed in 1995 by architect Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, this futuristic structure, with its curved, exposed concrete, has won numerous architectural awards.
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