{"id":12007,"date":"2016-10-25T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T08:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.insidejapantours.com\/?p=12007"},"modified":"2016-10-25T09:26:03","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T08:26:03","slug":"exploring-uji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/25\/exploring-uji\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Uji: Tea, temples and tactile totems"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12007\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Richard Farmer is one of our expert Japan tour leaders. He lives in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kyoto\/\">Kyoto<\/a>, Japan&#8217;s capital of culture and tradition, and heart of the fascinating Kansai region &#8211; a veritable hotbed of sightseeing delights. Today, he&#8217;s headed out to Uji to visit one of the oldest buildings in Japan and discover some of the area&#8217;s other accomplishments.<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve enthused before about Kyoto\u2019s ideal location as a base for some fantastic day trips, and this time I\u2019m remaining true to form! I want to introduce one of my favourite easy day trips from Kyoto &#8211; the small city of Uji, just 20 minutes by train from Kyoto. Although Uji is most famous for the Byodo-in Phoenix Hall, in this piece I would like to focus on two of Uji\u2019s lesser-known hidden gems, where you can escape the crowds and enjoy some tranquillity.<\/p>\n<p>If you take a rapid train from JR Kyoto station, you can be in Uji in 20 minutes, but I actually recommend taking a local line train and getting off one stop early at Obaku. A short walk from Obaku station will take you to Mampuku-ji, one of my favourite Zen temples in the Kyoto area, which you can read about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/30\/a-fiery-festival-and-a-red-hot-tip-for-a-nara-day-trip\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12015\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12015\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12015\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River.jpg\" alt=\"The Uji River\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-River-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12015\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Uji River<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once in Uji, it\u2019s just a short walk from the station to the famous Uji River and one of Japan\u2019s oldest bridges. Dotted around this area are many monuments dedicated to Murasaki Shikibu, author of Japan\u2019s (and in fact the world&#8217;s) first novel, <em>The Tale of Genji<\/em>. The final 10 chapters of her epic novel are known as the &#8220;Uji Chapters&#8221;, as they take place in the city of Uji and its environs. There is even a museum dedicated to the book in the city.<\/p>\n<p>During the summer months, cormorant fishing takes place on the river in the evenings. Trained cormorants catch <em>ayu<\/em> river fish and bring them back to the waiting boats and fishermen.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12017\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12017\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12017\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29.jpg\" alt=\"Byodoin Temple\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Byodoin-Temple-29-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12017\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Byodoin Temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A short walk from the river area takes you to Uji\u2019s most famous site, Byodo-in Temple. A quick rummage through your pockets for a 10 yen coin will give you a sneak preview of what\u2019s in store. The temple\u2019s famous Phoenix Hall is depicted on the back of the coin.<\/p>\n<p>The grounds of Byodo-in are supposed to represent a Pure Land paradise, and the Phoenix Hall itself, at nearly 1,000 years old, is a superb example of Heian Period architecture. Within the temple grounds you will also find an excellent modern museum containing artefacts from the temple and interesting historical information. Well worth a look, and included in the price of the temple admission.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12016\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12016\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12016\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea.jpg\" alt=\"Uji tea fields\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Uji-Tea-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12016\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Uji tea fields<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Walking back towards the river you will pass dozens of shops selling Uji\u2019s most famous local product \u2013 green tea. The tea from Uji is renowned throughout Japan as being some of the finest in the country, and you don\u2019t have to go too far out of the city centre before you encounter row upon row of sprawling tea bushes. Along with shops selling packs of tea to take home, you\u2019ll also find plenty of cafes lining the street selling the fresh brew for immediate consumption, with beautifully presented Japanese sweets and cakes on the side.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12009\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12009\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji.jpg\" alt=\"Kosho-ji\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Kosho-ji-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12009\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kosho-ji<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A stroll over the Uji bridge to the other side of the river will take you to Kosho-ji, a wonderfully quiet Zen temple that is largely ignored by visitors to Uji, who tend to focus solely on Byodo-in. This makes it a delightfully calm place to come and escape the crowds. The grounds are beautiful and are actually free to explore, although I recommend paying the very modest entrance fee of 300 yen to have a look inside the building itself. The temple is so quiet that there isn\u2019t a permanently staffed ticket desk. Instead, you\u2019ll need to ring the little doorbell inside the entrance to alert one of the priests, who will come and collect your money.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12010\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12010\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12010\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo.jpg\" alt=\"Kosho-ji Sodo\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Koshoji-sodo-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12010\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kosho-ji Sodo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once inside the temple, you\u2019ll be able to see a few extra little gardens that aren\u2019t visible from the main grounds. One of the most interesting things you can get a peek at is the inside of the <em>sodo,<\/em> the meditation hall of the temple. Kosho-ji is still very much a functioning Zen monastery with monks dedicated to full-time practice. It\u2019s pretty rare to be able to look inside the meditation hall of a Zen temple, so make sure you check it out! It\u2019s also possible to come here on the first and third Sunday of each month to take part in the morning meditation session (irregularly cancelled for special events, so highly advised to contact the temple beforehand if you\u2019re making a special trip for this. Your Inside Japan travel consultant can do this for you).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12013\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12013\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12013\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji.jpg\" alt=\"Mimuroto-ji\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Mimurotoji-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12013\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mimuroto-ji<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The final hidden treasure of Uji that I would like to introduce is slightly outside the town centre; about 20 minutes walk from the river area or a short bus ride away. Mimuroto-ji is a temple famous for having thousands of azaleas and hydrangeas that flower in the early summer, as well as hundreds of lotus flowers that bloom in July and August. Aside from the stunning gardens and the grand temple buildings, one of my favourite things about this temple are the three interactive monuments scattered around the temple grounds.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12014\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12014\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12014\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin.jpg\" alt=\"Ugajin\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Ugajin-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12014\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ugajin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first monument you will stumble upon is this guy, Ugajin. Ugajin is a harvest and fertility god who can be depicted in either male or female form, but always with the head of a human and the body of a serpent. It\u2019s considered good luck to rub the statue, but you get to choose what kind of good luck you would like to receive! If you rub the ears, then you will get happiness and good fortune; if you rub the beard, you will be blessed with long life and good health; and if you rub the end of the tail, plenty of money will come your way. The choice is yours!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12011\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12011\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12011 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-720x960.jpg\" alt=\"The Lucky Ox\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox-510x680.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Ox.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12011\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lucky Ox<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The second interactive monument is located next to the temple\u2019s main hall. If you\u2019re willing to shove your hand down this stone ox\u2019s throat, you\u2019ll find a stone ball lodged inside. Touching the stone is said to bring you certain victory in your endeavours.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12012\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12012\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12012\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit.jpg\" alt=\"The Lucky Rabbit\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Lucky-Rabbit-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12012\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lucky Rabbit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The final monument is located close by to the ox and takes the form of a rabbit guarding a big stone sphere.\u00a0 Inside is an egg shaped stone, which you reach inside to touch. It\u2019s said that if the egg is standing upright, your wish will be granted. What I find particularly interesting about this monument is that the egg is completely freestanding, meaning it\u2019s up to you to either leave the egg as you found it, or to change its position. Essentially you have the power to affect the outcome for the next person who comes along!<\/p>\n<p>With tea, temples and tactile totems galore, Uji makes a great day trip from Kyoto, which I highly recommend including in your plans!<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you&#8217;re interested in visiting Uji on your trip to Japan, just tell your Inside Japan travel consultant and they&#8217;ll help you plan the perfect day trip. To get in touch by phone or email, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/contact-us\/\">follow this link<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! Richard Farmer is one of our expert Japan tour leaders. He lives in Kyoto, Japan&#8217;s capital of culture and tradition, and heart of the fascinating Kansai region &#8211; a veritable hotbed of sightseeing delights. Today, he&#8217;s headed out to Uji to visit one of the oldest buildings [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2362],"tags":[1376,2267,2678,2679,2819],"class_list":["post-12007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-byodo-in","tag-uji","tag-richard-farmer","tag-kyoto-day-trips","tag-phoenix-hall"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12007"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12007\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}