Uji, Japan, is nestled in the Kyoto Prefecture, and is a city most known for its green tea production. Uji is located along the Uji River, and its picturesque landscape, paired with its temples, shrines, and many traditional tea shops, makes for the perfect spot to spend a day or afternoon when visiting Kyoto, Japan.
I am a big fan of matcha tea, and not to brag, but I was before it became extremely over-popularized by social media. I have always preferred tea over coffee, and I knew when visiting Japan that Uji was a must-visit. I was happy to find that it was such an easy day trip to Kyoto, so let’s dive into how to get there and what to do when visiting (that goes beyond just the green tea).
How to Get to Uji from Kyoto
It’s so easy to get from Kyoto to Uji. All you have to do is take public transit. The JR Nara Line is the line you’ll take to get from Kyoto Station to Uji. The train takes anywhere from 19-30 minutes, depending on whether you take a rapid or local train. Once you arrive at JR Uji Station, it is just a short walk to the main downtown area. Uji is also connected by public transit, and you can easily get around the town using transit if there are places you want to visit outside of the core.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a finely ground powder that is made from specially processed green tea leaves. It has a vibrant green colour and an umami flavor. With regular green tea, you steep the leaves and remove the tea bag/leaves; with matcha, you consume the entire tea leaf that dissolves in hot water. This makes matcha high in antioxidants and amino acids, which can help give you that energy boost you love from coffee, but without the jitters.
Why is Uji Famous for Tea Production?
Uji gets its reputation for its tea production because of its geographical and climatic advantages. Uji has mild weather, misty mornings, and good soil, which all play an important role in tea production. The history of tea production in this area dates back to the early 13th century. Over the many years of tea production, tea farmers got creative in coming up with game-changing ways to grow and make tea, like perfecting the “Uji method” for sencha, the most popular kind of tea in Japan. Today, you can find tea from Uji sold worldwide, especially their matcha.
What to Do in Uji
Eat, Drink & Enjoy Green Tea
- Visit a Tea House: Experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony at one of the many tea houses, such as Taihoan. This is a great way to learn the history of the tea ceremony and participate in whisking your own bowl.
- Try Tea-Flavored Everything: Byōdō-in Omotesan is the main street leading to Byōdō-in Temple, and it is FILLED with cafes and restaurants serving literally everything you can imagine made with green tea, such as a matcha ramen and green tea desserts.
- Visit a Tea Farm or Factory: This isn’t as popular an activity because it can be out of the main core of the city, but some tea farms offer tours to learn more about the cultivation process. Tobi-en offers half-day and full-day tours, and Marukyu Koyamaen offers plant tours of their factory.
- Chazna Museum: See and learn all about the tea-making process at the Chazna Museum. You can even sign up for a fun matcha grinding workshop.
Tip: Tsuen Tea is the oldest teahouse in Japan, if you’re looking for a unique spot to experience some of the local tea.
Explore Historic Temples and Shrines
- Byōdō-in Temple: This is a must-visit when in Uji. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the temple featured on the 10-yen coin.
- Ujigami Shrine: Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ujigami Shrine is one of Japan’s oldest existing Shinto shrines. It’s located uphill from Byōdō-in Temple and is incredibly serene.
- Koshoji Temple: Known for its beautiful foliage in the autumn, this peaceful temple has a beautiful garden and is another historic spot worth visiting in Uji.
Enjoy the Uji River and Scenery
- Uji Bridge: This picturesque bridge offers great views of the Uji River, and it’s hard to miss because it’s right in town.
- Walk the Riverbanks: The paths along the Uji River are perfect for a stroll, or grab a matcha to-go at a local cafe and enjoy it along the river.
Where to Buy Tea in Uji, Japan
One of the many reasons people visit Uji is to not only eat and drink the delicious tea, but also to buy it! There is an increased global demand for matcha, which has made finding it a little more challenging. It’s not unusual to visit a tea shop in Uji and them be entirely sold out of their matcha for the day first thing in the morning. However, if you aren’t picky about getting a specific kind of brand, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding some. Here are some shops that you can visit, but the majority of places are located on Byōdō-in Omotesan.
- Ocha no Kanbayashi Ujibashidori branch: I also bought sencha here, and they were super friendly and let us taste some!
- Horii Shichimeien: A very popular brand you’ll see all over TikTok. They were sold out of a lot of varieties when I visited, but still had lots left to choose from and were helpful in making recommendations based on how you drink your matcha.
- Hoho Hojicha Uji Main Store: This spot is a great go-to for trying and buying hojicha, which is a roasted green tea powder. It is so flavorful and honestly underrated!
- Yamamasa Koyamaen: This store is a little trickier to find as it’s located within the factory. It feels more like visiting an office than a store, but it’s a great gem to find tea!
- Nakamura Tokichi: Also a VERY popular brand, selling matcha and different tea treats. I had no issues snagging a jar here.
- Itoh Kyuemon: They have multiple locations throughout Uji and Kyoto. I actually visited their store outside of Kyoto Station. They have fantastic cafes serving all sorts of green tea treats and food in Uji too!
- 松阪屋嘉八 本店: Located right next to Horii Shichimeien, this spot was one of my fav tea shops I visited while in Japan because it still had that old charm and felt the most authentic.
- Marukyu Koyamaen: Another popular brand, so get here early if you can. They are located outside of the main strip, so I didn’t make the effort to go here in case they were sold out, but many people LOVE this brand of matcha.
The above only scratches the surface of matcha and tea shops you’ll find in Uji and around Japan. Remember that it’s not only matcha that is well known from this area, so pick up some other varieties of tea too, and you won’t regret it!
Tips for Buying Matcha in Uji
- Don’t be Picky: The majority of people enjoy matcha as a latte, and when you’re mixing matcha with milk and sugar, you don’t need the highest quality of powder. Most ceremonial grade matchas, and even some culinary grade matchas, will taste fantastic in a latte, so don’t stress about getting the exact brand and kind you see on TikTok.
- Try Other Tea: Don’t just focus on buying matcha, but look at hojicha and sencha too! You may even like it better if you aren’t a matcha person.
- Remember Expiration Dates: One of the key reasons not to buy too much matcha and tea while you’re away is that it actually has a best-before date. Keeping it in the fridge or freezer, in a tightly sealed container, can help prolong its shelf life, but it still won’t last years, so don’t buy more than you can consume.
- Follow the Rules: Many tea shops have rules in place for buying their tea to make sure they have stock for other customers and to avoid people overbuying and reselling their tea. Please be respectful of this and don’t try and find loopholes to buy more tea than you need.
Overall, a trip to Uji can be a fantastic getaway, whether you’re a tea-lover or not. You don’t need much more than half a day there, and it’s such an easy trip from Kyoto Station that it is a shame if you don’t make it out this way to at least enjoy a cup of tea and the picturesque scenery.
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