JP · Kyoto Prefecture · 34.88°N 135.80°E

uji

Green tea everything, plus Byodo-in, the temple on the ten-yen coin.

Best time
Spring and autumn are the nicest. May is new tea season, and June brings hydrangeas at Mimurotoji. Weekends get busy with day-trippers from Kyoto.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kansai Airport, about 6.5 hours, and head to Kyoto. From Kyoto Station, the JR Nara Line reaches Uji in about 20–30 minutes; the Keihan Line runs from central Kyoto too.
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JP · Kyoto Prefectureuji34.88°N 135.80°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Green tea everything, plus Byodo-in, the temple on the ten-yen coin.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingUjiJP, Kyoto Prefecture
KLuji
≈ 4,982 km from KL, as the crow flies
Byōdō-in's Phoenix Hall is a Japan's National Treasure in Uji, Kyoto prefecture, Japan. It was built in 1153. Byōdō-in was registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic monuments of a

Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small city on the Uji River between Kyoto and Nara, famous for its green tea for centuries. Most people come for Byodo-in, the temple on the ten-yen coin, then spend the afternoon working through matcha everything along the tea-shop streets.

Makan

  1. Matcha soft serveSold all along the street to Byodo-in, deeper and more bitter than the matcha you get back home.Map ↗
  2. Matcha parfaitLayers of matcha ice cream, jelly, red bean and mochi. Nakamura Tokichi's main shop is the famous one, so expect a queue.Map ↗
  3. Cha sobaBuckwheat noodles made with green tea, served cold or in broth.Map ↗
  4. Tea tastingMany of the old tea shops let you try a proper cup of gyokuro or sencha, or whisk your own matcha.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Byodo-inIts Phoenix Hall, nearly 1,000 years old and reflected in a pond, is the building on the ten-yen coin.Map ↗
  2. Ujigami ShrineA small, quiet shrine across the river, thought to be the oldest surviving shrine building in Japan.Map ↗
  3. Uji River walkAn easy riverside stroll between Byodo-in and Ujigami, crossing the little islands mid-stream.Map ↗
  4. The Tale of Genji MuseumThe last chapters of The Tale of Genji are set in Uji, and this museum brings the story to life.Map ↗
  5. MimurotojiA temple in the hills known for its azaleas in spring and hydrangea gardens in June.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Go on a weekday morning. The inside of the Phoenix Hall has its own timed entry, which can run out on busy days.
  • Fushimi Inari is on the same JR line from Kyoto, so you can do both in one day.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.