Japan Travel: A Matcha Paradise Near Kyoto 京都
There are so many places to take a day trip or
a half day trip from Kyoto and today we had a trip planned to Uji, one of the most famous tea
towns in Japan. As we mentioned in our previous Kyoto summer video we stayed at Hotel Aru which
is in the Pontocho area of Kyoto and the location is just a few steps away from a small river
and beautiful greenery during the summer. The train ride to Uji takes about 30 minutes. The Uji train station in the Keihan line has captivating architecture and
is located near Uji River [Music] it’s a beautiful morning walk and walking across Uji Bridge is breathtaking and also
refreshing during the hot summer days [Music] Our first stop in Uji was Byodoin Temple which
is the temple pictured on the 10 yen coin. The temple is a world heritage site and in the summer it’s filled with water lilies and lotus flowers. It’s definitely a beautiful temple
that fills your soul with tranquility Although it was our first time in
Uji we are no strangers to matcha and green tea and knew exactly which shop
we wanted to stop at first Nakamura Tokichi Since our first visit to Japan
in 2019 we fell in love with the matcha parfait from this shop and
every time we go to Japan we have to make sure to stop at one of their
shops to enjoy this delicious parfait Every store in Japan seems to
have a store specific items and the main store in Uji has
a parfait served in a bamboo, which was on our list to try for a long time.
Given that we came in the summer they also had kakigori on the menu which of course we could not
resist. The kakigori was perfectly refreshing, not too sweet, and creamy thanks
to the soft serve ice cream on top. It came with matcha and hojicha sauce that
you can pour over the ice to your liking. [Music] If you enjoy quality matcha Make sure to add this shop to your list and don’t forget to
buy matcha treats to enjoy back home. The streets of Uji are lined with
tea shops so many to choose from. The second shop we decided to buy
tea from was Ocha no Kambayashi one of the oldest tea shops in Uji. The shop
is filled with traditional tea shop decor and items bringing a warm sense of tradition
and nostalgia as soon as you enter. The staff members were kind and provided us with
samples to help us decide which tea to purchase. It also has a variety of tea items to choose
from. The next shop on our list was not planned but it’s a shop we cannot resist in Kyoto.
Ousu no sato, this shop sells a variety of ume or pickled plum items, plum
wine, everything is delicious. [Music] On our way back to the station we decided to stop
at the green tea fields next to the river. This was such a peaceful spot and refreshing because of the flowing water. Despite its popularity you would expect Uji to be crowded but thankfully
our experience was quite peaceful maybe it was the hot summer weather or the weekday visit but to
us it was a perfect escape from the Kyoto crowds. For the afternoon we headed back
to Kyoto for a special lunch. Gion Fujitora serves beautifully plated lunch
sets inside a traditional 100-year-old house. Our meal features seasonal vegetables and
Kyoto pork but there are other items to choose from as well. Although the meal
itself is delicious and worth the visit the atmosphere is beautiful and makes
the experience so much more special. After lunch we decided on a second dessert to cool
off by the Kamo river. If you’re in Kyoto in the summer you’ll see many people sitting by the river
just relaxing. It’s the perfect summer activity. [Music] For dinner we opted for another popular
summer activity, Noryo Yuka or Kawadoko which essentially is a raised platform
or balcony along the river where you can enjoy your meal. We dined at B-store 1st which
serves modern Italian inspired Japanese cuisine. The special summer meal came with a soup,
appetizer, main dish, dessert and a drink. We opted for the Ayu pasta and carbonara. For dessert the star of the show was the kakigori but the matcha
terrine was also delicious. This sunset dinner by the river
was so beautiful and the walk back under the moonlight was
a core memory type of moment This Uji and Kyoto day was just what we needed: a perfectly relaxing time filled
with beautiful scenery and good food. Thank you so much for watching! Bye-bye!
Summer time in Japan is so special. Yes, the heat and humidity are relentless but that just makes those icy and creamy treats extra special.
Join us as we explore the historic town of Uji and we indulge in one of its most prized offerings, matcha and tea. We end the day back in Kyoto where we dine in a traditional 100 year old house and enjoy the evening by the Kamo river.
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