With sakura season descending upon us, I ventured out to Uji during the weekend. Uji is a small city just south of Kyoto and also near Nara, making it a well-known cultural area. However, this city is best known for its high quality green tea and its many restaurants and shops sell a variety of matcha-flavored food such as soba, ice cream and other sweets.
My main priority was to visit Byodoin Temple which was originally built as a villa for a politician from the Fujiwara clan, but was later changed into a temple. The Phoenix Hall is the main attraction at Byodoin where visitors can go on a guided tour for an extra 300 yen (the admission fee is 600 yen which includes access to the Treasure House).
Uji River divides the city into two parts and its banks are lined with numerous shops and restaurants, offering visitors a place to eat while enjoying the view :)
If you cross one of the bridges, it'll lead you to a small island in the middle of the river, perfect for picnics and escaping the crowded streets. I actually came here after lunch for some peace and quiet and it did not disappoint despite there being quite a few people.
The main street to get your matcha omiyage and food is Omotesando-- 300 meters of shops and restaurants for you to pick and choose from before arriving at Byodoin Temple.
Not sure what this was for as these boats are usually for fishing, but the people there seemed to be preparing for a lunch cruise! I can only imagine how nice that would be, enjoying a meal while floating down the river in a boat :)
Father and son enjoying some quality time on the small island
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)
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