Uji City
The phoenix hall and the scent of matcha — a riverside town of a thousand years.
The Building on the 10-Yen Coin: Byodo-in Phoenix Hall
Founded in 1052, Byodo-in temple embodies the Heian-era vision of paradise. The Phoenix Hall — the very building on the 10-yen coin and 10,000-yen bill — survives almost exactly as it was built, a small miracle of architecture.
Twin golden phoenixes spread their wings on the roof. The museum Hoshokan displays the original phoenixes and the temple bell up close, plus a digital reconstruction of the hall's dazzling interior.
The garden blooms through the seasons, and views of the hall across the Uji River — especially in morning mist — are unforgettable. It's part of Kyoto's World Heritage listing and a hidden ace among Kyoto-area sights.
Serious Matcha in Its Hometown: Uji Tea Experiences
Uji is the pinnacle of Japanese matcha. Tea gardens descended from the shogun-designated 'Seven Famous Gardens of Uji' still operate, and the town produces top-grade tencha — the leaf that becomes matcha.
Along the approach to Byodo-in, centuries-old tea houses serve thick koicha whisked from stone-milled matcha, plus matcha soba, sweets, and soft serve with selectable intensity.
For the full experience, sit by the Uji River with gyokuro or sencha brewed properly in a teapot. Slow riverside tea in Japan's tea capital — that's the Uji way.