June 18: Uji (Ōji)
I got up around 8:30, sat down in the common room to breakfast, and chatted with a man from Singapore who was taking his family to Nara. I took the bus directly to Kyoto Station, this time taking a different bus and passing some new temples along the way. I got on the 11:20 train again towards Nara, but this time I would get off halfway at Uji.
I walked through three different cars looking for a completely empty seat, and instead I ran into the couple I’d seen at Higashi Hongan! They recognized me and invited me to sit down with them. It was nice having familiar face to chat with, even if only for 20 minutes. I got off the train and went to the tourist center, where a worker gave me an English-language map and highlighted a recommended walking route and sights for me.
Uji was a breath of fresh air. Pastoral, tranquil, and small, more so than Nara in my opinion. I walked down a narrow passage of shops and restaurants. The food was starting to look good, and it was nearly lunchtime. I ended up in a restaurant where I could see a man making green tea soba noodles by hand. I stared at the pictures on the menu for several minutes before settling on a simple green tea soba plate. The soba was cooked and served on a bamboo mat, similar to the kind used to roll sushi but round (to fit in the bowl) instead of rectangular. On the tray was also a small cup. The lid of the cup held a small egg (quail, perhaps?), green onion, and wasabi. Following the lead of the nearby diners, I lifted the lid, poured everything into the cold liquid below (miso or fish broth, I’m not sure), and mixed it up. I then picked up the noodles with my chopsticks, dipped them in the liquid, and ate. Simple but delicious!!! At the end of the meal, a server poured hot water into the remaining liquid so I could drink it as a soup. All of that cost 800 yen, and it was worth it.
After I lunch, I paid the 600 yen to enter the Byodin Temple. I walked around the grounds and took pictures outside the Phoenix Hall rather than paying the extra 300 yen to enter. My ticket included admission to the Byodin Museum, a glass and stone building that was home to an exhibit on the restoration of Phoenix Hall and a collection of statues depicting “Bodhisattvas on Clouds”.
After the temple, I walked along the Uji River. There were food and tea shops on the trail (if I had realized how special Uji tea was, I would have stopped and tried some), and boats floating by slowly. I walked to the stone pagoda, crossed a bridge, walked up to Eshinn temple and then to Ugami Shrine. My words, however, can’t do justice to the natural beauty and serenity of the surroundings. I thought I’d never want to leave. All good things must end eventually, though. I headed down the hill, across the wooden bridge (which is actually reinforced now with concrete), and back to the JR train station.
Afternoon in Kyoto
I caught a local train to Kyoto instead of an express train. This time, nothing seemed familiar when I got off the train. It took me a while to find my way to the usual train station exit. To build up my energy for the afternoon round of sightseeing, I decided to stop for 4:00 coffee and cake at Café Veloce, a bustling coffee shop next to the central post office. I then went back into the train station and, per the instructions at the tourist center on the second floor, took the elevator inside the adjacent department store to the 9th floor for the tourist center for foreigners. I got directions to Kiyomizudera temple, a building strongly recommended by the man from Singapore and Manami and Koichi because it is set in the hills and has a great view of the city.
I hopped on bus 206 and got off at the Gojozaka bus stop. I walked 1 kilometer up a steep and narrow hill with all the other tourists. I agree the pagoda complex and its hillside view were breathtaking, but I was too cheap to pay the 300 yen entrance fee. I took pictures of what I could outside the entrance and found a quiet place slightly downhill to write my journal.
I walked back downhill past souvenir shops hawking silk, jade, pickles, tea and more. I ended up once again walking through the Gion district, but again I didn’t see any geisha. Oh well. I reached the main shopping area, and decided to go up to the “Bistro” floors of the Hankyu department store because I was trying to conserve cash and was desperate to pay for something with a credit card. A very American approach I know, but I couldn’t help it. There were several restaurant to choose from. I immediately ruled out the Italian food at “Miami Garden” and the dim sum at the Hong Kong restaurant (I’d be eating Hong Kong food soon enough). I settled on a restaurant serving different kinds of omurice (cooked rice with a thin omelette wrapped around it). For about $14 I got a “dream set” (combo): omurice with ketchup, salmon salad, and “ice tea” (tea with ice cream in it). I know it was expensive, but each course was delicious.
I headed to the bus stop to get home. When the bus came though, it was very crowded. I decided to wait for the next one. I walked on towards the next stop, and ended up finding a shopping arcade (covered shopping walkway) I hadn’t seen before. The Shinkyogoku Arcade had several stylish clothing stores, restaurants, a movie theater, a bookstore, and souvenir shops. I was glad I had missed that bus.
Tags: Asia, Japan, Kyoto, shopping, tea, temple, Uji
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