Uplifting Uji: Kyoto's Tea, Shrines, and Natural Spirituality

Uji is beautiful riverside town in a much less crowded part of Kyoto, and we had a good time with our tour guide Damien visiting some really nice temples and shrines and trying matcha. We recommend doing the tour to hit the highlights of the town and learn their history and about matcha, then getting some cold matcha soba after and hanging out by the river for a very relaxing day! Note: There are two train stations in Uji, and the one you arrive at will probably not be the one you need to meet your guide at - you can easily walk to that one from the other one, over the river.

We had a lovely time visiting Uji, Kyoto. Our guide helped us along in perfect English. The best part was visiting the old tea house, where we learned about the brewing of tea and how the same tea can taste differently depending on how you make it. Truly amazing! I would highly recommend this tour!

This was a great informational tour if you love tea and want to learn more about the spiritual culture of Japan - especially considering there are so many temples and shrines in the country. Ferdinand was an excellent guide. Very patient, answered all out questions and really enjoyed the group size. 4 people, 5 with the guide made it easy. The tour wasn't overwhelming and wasn't a lot of walking which was welcomed after our other 25-30k steps every other day of our trip. I personally enjoyed learning the proper way to brew tea and properly make my own matcha tea. We went in the afternoon tour but got to Uji early to grab lunch and explore a bit. I think that was ideal as all the shops and restaurants were closing by the time we finished our tour. Alternatively you could also go in the morning but think the lines would have been longer to wait so just need to pick your battles. Really enjoyed Uji and all the matcha foods! Gotta try them all!

We had the perfect guide through Uji. Unfortunately I don’t remember her name. She used to work at a tea farm and the tea place we ended our tour. We visited two beautiful temples and had the luxury of being there almost by ourselves. The serenity and the break we had inside the Kosho-ji temple was magical. And at the end of the tour we got to taste the amazing tea and matcha for the first time. Thank you for this amazing experience.

Damian was an absolutely amazing tour guide. We loved Uji and the break from the Kyoto crowds. The tea tasting was unique, delicious, and informative. One thing I'd say is make sure you have cash! If you visit Kyoto, visit Uji

We had such a great time with our tour guide, Ferdi. He is knowledgeable and friendly - showed us some beautiful views of Uji and gave us an insightful matcha tea experience.

Ferdi is an excellent guide who is friendly and knowledgeable, and the tour was just breathtaking and tranquil. Highly recommend this tour for a fun and relaxing experience.

What an awesome experience! Bryan, our guide for the tour, was very knowledgeable, patient, and fun. We had an amazing time exploring Uji, partaking in tea, learning about the history of the places we visited, and taking time to relax. This was a very peaceful morning and a great break from the busyness of the city.

Fantastic experience in Uji with Andres. It was our last day in Japan and we were able to visit a less touristy neighborhood of Kyoto but full of charm and authenticity. We had the possibility to ask a lot of questions about the history, tea and traditions of Japan. Our guide also had a phd in Japanese history and explained many details of the temples and shrines we visited. I highly recommend the tour.

Fantastic tour! The chance to do something a little different. We really enjoyed the hands-on tea lesson. Our guide, Lito, really made our experience special. His knowledge of the area was fantastic and his engaging conversation made for a highly memorable afternoon.