Uji City

宇治市

Uji, located in Kyôto prefecture and in the south of the city of Kyôto, is home to the “Phoenix Hall” dedicated to the Buddha Amida in the temple Byôdô-in from the late Heian period, as well as the main hall of the Shintô shrine Ujigami-jinja, which has been preserved in its original form. Both buildings are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Since the 12th century, Uji has been an important production and trading centre for tea, which is highly valued throughout the country. In addition, the last 10 books of the novel Genji monogatari, the “Tales of Prince Genji”, refer to Uji.