Jul. 21, 2021 UPDATE
Story & Recommendation
The Uji River – Cherry blossoms, beautiful mountain views and traditional cormorant fishing
The Uji River – Ujigawa in Japanese – flows through Kyoto’s southeast city of Uji, dividing it in two.
The prominent position of this symbol of Uji City shapes the beautiful landscape of the town and provides opportunities for repose and recreation.
Most of the city’s attractions are within walking distance of the river, and these include the famous Byodo-in Temple featured on the 10 yen coin, a lovely starbucks and the Uji River bridge, which features prominently in The Tale of Genji.
Two of the highlights of summer spent at the river are the river cruises and cormorant fishing, in which trained birds are used to catch fish.
If you want to catch a glimpse of the traditional practices of cormorant fishing, aim to visit the Uji River between mid-June to late September.
Most of the city’s attractions are within walking distance of the river, and these include the famous Byodo-in Temple featured on the 10 yen coin, a lovely starbucks and the Uji River bridge, which features prominently in The Tale of Genji.
Two of the highlights of summer spent at the river are the river cruises and cormorant fishing, in which trained birds are used to catch fish.
If you want to catch a glimpse of the traditional practices of cormorant fishing, aim to visit the Uji River between mid-June to late September.
1Highlight
Uji Bridge
Aptly named, the main bridge that crosses the Uji River is the “Uji Bridge.”
While the current bridge is not the original as it has been destroyed and reconstructed many times, the Uji Bridge is well known in Japan for its frequent appearances in the Uji chapters of the Tale of Genji, an 11th century work said to be the first ever novel that describes life in Heian period Kyoto.
2Highlight
Asagiri Bridge
This brightly colored bridge is the Asagiri Bridge.
The newest of the three bridges which cross the Uji River, the eye popping vermillion makes it so this bridge can’t help but stand out.
On the bridge, make sure to check out the monument to the Tale of Genji as well!
Also, if you find yourself on the opposite of the river, the Asagiri Bridge is a convenient shortcut to the Byodo-in Temple.
- Manner & Tips -
There is a lot of traffic on the Uji Bridge. Please be careful when taking pictures.
