Byodoin Temple, Uji

#5月好去地方2025
Transportation strategy: Take JR to Uji
Must-visit attraction: Byodo-in Temple
Must-eat food: Any matcha is fine

When you come to Uji, you can’t just eat matcha, you must also visit Byodo-in Temple! Byodo-in Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture. It was built along the Uji River. It is an early wooden structure in Japan and is believed to be the ultimate concrete realization of the Western Paradise by the ancient Japanese.

The most representative building of the ancient Byodo-in Temple is the Amida Hall, which was built facing the Aji Pond. In the early days, it was named after the Amida Tathagata and 52 cloud-supporting Bodhisattva statues. In fact, not all of the 52 cloud Bodhisattvas are on display, and some are placed in the Fengxiang Pavilion for the public to visit.
When you visit, you must see some of the national treasures of Byodo-in Temple: Phoenix Hall, wooden seated statue of Amitabha, 52 wooden statues of Bodhisattvas in the clouds, 14 wall paintings of the Phoenix Hall, wooden canopy (wooden canopy hanging on the main statue of Amitabha), Phoenix (old building decoration of the Phoenix Hall), and the bell (known as the "three famous bells in the world" together with the bells of Jingo-ji Temple and Onjo-ji Temple (Mitsui-dera Temple))

Finally, you must seize the time and take pictures quickly when the weather is good. No matter how you take pictures, Byodo-in Temple is beautiful, and you can easily fill 20 photos!

When walking back to Uji Station, remember to stop and take a look at the Uji Bridge (completed in 646 AD), which is one of the oldest bridges in Japan! The Uji Bridge you see now was inspected and renovated in 1996.

You can go in and shop at many famous matcha shops that are over a hundred years old, and you can also get a tax refund!

#Uji #Byodo-in Temple

Post by 翁sir | Jun 4, 2025