A short train ride from Kyoto, Uji is a beautiful riverside town known for its historic temples, tea ceremonies and boat trips.
From UNESCO World Heritage sites and Japan’s oldest shrine plus an incredible suspension bridge walk, there are many things to do in Uji, Kyoto – plus Uji is now home to the new Nintendo Museum.
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Plus (and possibly best of all,) Uji is much quieter than most of the other more touristy day trips from Osaka or Kyoto – no huge crowds or overpriced activities.
Renowned for its green tea (a ‘matcha’ made in heaven), here is our guide to the best things to do in Uji, Kyoto.
This article was originally published on 5 April 2023.
How to get to Uji by train
There are two train stations in Uji: JR Uji Station (served by the JR Nara Line) and Keihan Uji Station (served by the Keihan Uji Line).
Keihan Uji Station is located a bit closer to Uji’s more famous attractions, but JR Uji Station is only a short walk away.
Uji from Kyoto by train
You can easily reach JR Uji Station from Kyoto station by boarding a train along the JR Nara Line. The journey from Kyoto station to JR Uji station takes 16 minutes by rapid train or 30 minutes by local train – both trains cost 240 yen each way. You can use your Japan Rail Pass for this journey.
Alternatively you can reach Keihan Uji Station along the Keihan Main Line from more central Kyoto stations such as Sanjo station and Gion Shijo station.
However this route requires a transfer at Chushojima Station to the Keihan Uji Line and takes around 30 minutes costing 350 yen one way. Note: Keihan is a private railway and the journey is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Uji from Osaka by train
You can reach JR Uji Station from Osaka Station or Shin-Osaka Station by taking the rapid train on the JR Kyoto Line to Kyoto station – then transfer to the JR Nara Line to Uji.
The entire journey should takes just over 1 hour and costs 2,280 yen one way. You can use your Japan Rail Pass for this journey.
Alternatively you can reach Keihan Uji Station from Osaka by boarding a train along the Keihan Main Line from either Yodoyabashi station or Kyobashi Station, but you will need to transfer at Chushojima Station to the Keihan Uji Line.
The entire journey should take around 45 minutes – 1 hour, and costs 420 yen one way. You cannot use your Japan Rail Pass for this journey.
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Things to do in Uji, Japan
1. River Uji Walk / Uji Park
There are many things to do in Uji, Kyoto but if you are only visiting for a small amount of time, we’d recommend heading to the river area first.
It is simply stunning especially in the spring and autumn months with beautiful bridges, boats and a stunning hill landscape all around.
Walk through Uji park along the river banks and in the shade of the trees. On the day we visited, several families and local groups had set up picnics on the river bank shading under trees covered in cherry blossom (we visited in Spring 2023).
Explore Tachibana and Tonoshima Islands, where there are ample seats and a quiet space to enjoy the views of the hills and surrounding waterways.
So colourful and stunning (particularly in spring and autumn), we also encountered several artists painting watercolours of the Uji riverside area.
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2. Byodoin Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage site, you may have a strange sense of deja vu when you first visit Byodoin Temple – this is because Byodoin temple features on the reverse of the Japanese 10 Yen coin.
Dating back to the 10th century, Byodoin temple and its gardens is genuinely one of the most beautiful temple sites we’ve visited in Kyoto, particularly the Phoenix Hall.
Located on an island in the middle of a lake, it looks stunning. Named after the bird given its wing like corridors, it was built in 1053 and has undergone many renovations over the years. Guided tours of the interior of Phoenix Hall are also available.
The best way to explore the Byodoin temple is to follow the guided path around the lake, which takes in several other smaller temples, landscaped gardens and small groves.
Afterwards, you can visit the Hoshokan Museum which includes several carvings and sculptures from the 11th century, a huge bronze bell plus a film about the history of Byodoin temple.
At the end, exit through the gift shop or enjoy tea in the museum cafe. Please note no photography is permitted inside the Byodoin temple museum.
The Byodoin Temple and Gardens entry fee cost 600 yen per adult as of April 2023. There is an additional 300 yen fee to visit Phoenix Hall once inside.
Byodoin Temple is open daily from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
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3. Walk along the Uji Amagase Suspension Bridge
Around a 20 minute riverside walk from Kisen Bridge and Tonoshima Island brings you to Uji Amagse suspension bridge.
Whilst part of the appeal is the stunning riverside walk there, the Amagase suspension bridge offers unspoilt views of the local area plus various wildfowl and birds that live along the River Uji.
When we visited, we had the whole of the Uji Amagase suspension bridge to ourselves – no other tourists or locals were in sight. The suspension bridge is also pretty sturdy so it doesn’t rock back and forth or swing when you cross.
If you have a rental car, it is a quick drive from town and there is ample parking and toilets right next to the suspension bridge. A little further on, you can also continue your walk along the river banks and see Amagase Dam.
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4. River Uji Cruise
Get up close to the Uji River on a boat cruise – the best way to enjoy the local area is to hire one of the traditional wooden vessels and fishing boats from near Tonoshima Island.
Both large group boat cruises or private rentals are available. We were quite jealous of the family that had hired a boat for themselves (with an oarsman) and were eating their lunch with ice cold beers and incredible riverside views.
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5. Ujigami-jinja Shrine
Much smaller in size than Byodoin Temple, Uji shrine is located across the Uji river around 5 minutes from the Tales of Genji museum. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site temple, like Byodo
One of Japan’s oldest shrine buildings, Uji Jinja shrine and its lion like komainu statues at the entrance date back to the Kamakura period (1185 – 1333) although some estimate was already established in 1060. It is closely established as the ‘Guardian shrine’ of nearby Byodoin temple.
Free to visit, Ujigami-jinja Shrine also has a small underground bathing pool using for cleansing and purification rituals – there is a small shop onsite selling religious offerings and other trinkets
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6. Kisen Bridge, Uji Park
Similar in colour to the tori gates of nearby temples, Kisen Bridge is a popular photo spot and links Byodoin Temple and Tonoshima Island.
The bridge is named after a monk and poet, Kisen Hoshi. It is also a great viewpoint to watch the cruise and fishing boats go up and down the river.
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7. Drink Uji Tea / attend a Tea Ceremony
Green tea that is produced in Uji is famous throughout the world for its extremely high quality.
Lining the river bank in Uji are several local tea houses where you can partake in workshops and Japanese tea ceremonies:
Tsuen Tea is the oldest tea house in the world (founded in 1160). Here you can sample different teas and also many matcha flavoured desserts.
Taihoan is another popular tea house that offers a traditional tea ceremony experience. Entry is 1,000 yen and includes a cup of tea with a Japanese seasonal sweet. Advance booking is recommended.
Fukujuen Uji Tea Factory offers matcha related experiences such as tea hand-rolling, making tea on ceramic plates, and making matcha using a stone morter. There is also a tea room where you can enjoy matcha ice cream parfaits and other matcha flavoured foods and drinks.
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8. Byodo-In Omotesando Street
The best street for souvenir shopping and restaurants is Byodo-In Omotesando Street.
Located a short walk from Uji’s Byodoin temple, you’ll find around 30 shops, cafes and restaurants here.
It is also a prime spot to get Matcha tea to take home or even matcha tea flavoured ice-cream.
9. Nintendo Museum Uji
Game on! The much anticipated new Nintendo Museum in Uji opened in October 2024 and we visited soon after it opened to see what all the Mario mania was about.
The Nintendo Museum comprises two floors of exhibits and gaming, a shop full of exclusive Nintendo merchandise, a (non-themed) cafe plus workshops.
But does the Japan Nintendo Museum in Kyoto really live up to the hype? Getting tickets to the Nintendo Museum can be tricky (admission must be booked in advance) – so here is our guide to getting tickets plus an honest review of the Nintendo Museum >
We’d highly recommend making a day of visiting Uji and the Nintendo Museum if you are lucky enough to secure tickets – it is a 30 minute walk between the museum and the main riverside and temple area.
10. Asahiyaki Tea Shop & Gallery
Asahiyaki is a family run pottery company that started around 400 years ago – today, they have four craftspeople and one painter producing beautiful and ornate pottery.
The best place to see this pottery is at Asahiyaki tea shop & gallery, located on the banks of Uji river (close to Uri Jinja).
Browse their decorative pottery collections or enjoy tea on tables directly overlooking the river. Time for tea we think!
11. Tale of Genji Museum
One of Uji’s most famous museums, The Tale of Genji Museum details the famous 11th century novel of the same name written by Murasaki Shikibu.
The book tells the story of a handsome Emperor’s son born to a concubine and his subsequent romantic interactions and love affairs in the Heian period.
The museum brings to life the book with various exhibits, models and clips (the short film is exclusive to the museum – there is also a shop and cafe looking out over a small garden.
12. 13 Storey Pagoda / Jusanju Sekito
Located on Tonoshima island in Uji Park, this iconic landmark of Uji is said to be the tallest stone pagoda in Japan.
Jusanju Sekito was built in the 13th century, constructed to keep away the angry spirits who locals thought had been sent as a sign of overfishing (various floods continually damaged the bridge and local area).
The pagoda was once washed away in floods and reconstructed on the island in the early 1900s – at 15 metres high and against the backdrop of the hills and nearby bridges, this is one of the most photographic spots in Uji.
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13. Starbucks Coffee – Kyoto Uji Byodo-in Omotesando
OK, hand’s up – we know Uji is all about local teahouses and unique matcha products – but if you are a Starbucks fan or in need of a quick coffee, Starbucks in Uji is one of the nicest examples of the US coffee chain we’ve seen in Japan.
Better still, it doesn’t have the massive queues like the Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya located in a traditional Japanese house).
Starbucks cafe ‘blends’ (sorry not sorry) in nicely with the local landscape and is a stone’s throw away from the main Byodoin Temple entrance.
It has a gorgeous garden with plenty of outdoor seating plus ample air conditioning inside, perfect for those hot summer days. And yes, you can get matcha green tea here as well, if coffee isn’t for you.
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14. Try unusual Matcha flavoured food
It is no secret that Uji is famous for its riverside tea houses and matcha tea products – as you’d expect, there are various stalls selling matcha green tea and also matcha green tea ice creams.
However, if your tastes are a little more adventurous and less traditional, there are several local restaurants on Byodo-In Omotesando Street who offer some more unusual green tea inspired dishes like green tea ramen, matcha gyozas and matcha pork.
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15. Uji Bridge / Statue of Murasaki Shikibu
Although you wouldn’t initially think it from its concrete exterior, the Uji Bridge spanning 150 metres over Uji River is said to be the oldest existing bridge in Japan.
The concrete structure you see today retains elements of the wooden structure dating from approx AD 640 (it looks pretty modern to us TBH…).
Located at one end of the Uji Bridge, you’ll discover an ornate statue of Murasaki Shikibu, the 11th century writer of Japan’s famous Tales of Genji novel.
16. Uji Cormorant Fishing on Uji River (Ukai)
Our final inclusion on our things to do in Uji, Kyoto guide is to watch Uji Cormorant fishing (Ukai in Japanese) on the river Uji. Alas as we visited in April 2023, so we weren’t able to witness this ourselves as it typically takes place from July to September.
This traditional fishing technique dating back over 1300 years sees local fisherman train and use cormorant birds to swoop into the water to catch fish.
It should be said that the cormorants are tied to leads so this isn’t the most ethical or environmental of activities but there are special ukai boat tours in Uji at this time of year so you can make your own mind up.
Finally – is it worth going to Uji in Kyoto?
IN short, yes – Uji is easily one of the best day trips from Kyoto (and very accessible, just 20 minutes from Kyoto station).
Unlike say Arashiyama, Nara or nearby Fushimi Inari Taisha, Uji is a lot less well known on the tourist map but arguably more beautiful and easier to explore.
The riverside area with its historic temples and beautiful bridges is worth the trip alone – and with so many traditional tea houses and good restaurants to choose from, there are so many things to do in Uji. It is definitely one of our favourite day trips from Kyoto.
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