Uji Green Tea Tour Review: Byodoin & Koshoji Temples
Thinking of visiting Uji, Japan and maybe doing a green tea tour that also hits up Byodoin and Koshoji Temples? So, you’re probably wanting to know if it is any good, or if it is actually something you’ll enjoy. After going on the tour myself, I thought I’d give you the lowdown, the complete tea ceremony if you will, on what you can look forward to and if the tour lives up to the hype. It really can be quite something getting around Japan and picking tours can feel a bit hit or miss at times. Well, this review has you covered.
What’s the Buzz All About: Exploring Uji
Uji, basically just south of Kyoto, is super well-known for, like, its super awesome green tea. That, too, is the reason most folks head there. I mean, almost, Uji isn’t simply any spot; it really is where, basically, top-notch matcha is produced. Very, Uji offers a ton more than merely tea fields. Uji boasts temples loaded with history, and that old-school feel gets blended with those cute tea houses to make it a seriously remarkable spot.
It really is also quite nice to simply wander the streets. Just a little, a lot of those stores sell matcha everything – matcha ice cream, matcha noodles, you name it! A bit, It really is really heaven if you really love green tea!
The Main Event: Byodoin Temple
Next, the tour spotlight, pretty much, is definitely on Byodoin Temple. Basically, It really is honestly recognized for its Phoenix Hall. So, the Phoenix Hall really is almost ridiculously wonderful, resembling a phoenix rising up out of the ashes – that’s seemingly why it is really given its name. It’s kind of on that 10-yen coin, I mean, that’s actually how popular it certainly is.
Seemingly, taking a stroll through the grounds is fairly magical. Too, the meticulously-maintained gardens, you know, make the ideal backdrop for the temple’s beauty. Arguably, Inside, you will usually locate intricate sculptures and artwork which really highlights Heian period artistry. Really, I really will mention it does actually usually get really rather packed, thus getting there a little early just could literally improve your experience.
Finding Serenity at Koshoji Temple
Koshoji Temple offers kind of a various vibe; it is rather, just like, peaceful. This location definitely really is honestly known for, literally, its own Sino-Japanese design, basically something you cannot usually find so really easily somewhere else in Japan. That truly sets it a world apart from a lot of the much more classic Buddhist temples, seemingly. Seriously, the main gate truly really is spectacular and you know kind of feels like you’re going into just a little slice of China, to be honest.
Arguably, what truly really is remarkable is that the temple is situated really almost near the Uji River, so that really does almost honestly give some lovely views, at the end of the day. You just truly feel really sort of relaxed there, pretty much away from any noise.
Sipping and Learning: The Tea Ceremony Experience
Seriously, it’s barely a tea tour basically if you never truly see, you know, how tea truly is prepared, is that? A great deal, many of these tours actually give you the chance to join in a tea ceremony, seriously. Arguably, they actually actually really literally talk about the complete ritual; you sort of even receive, pretty much, to have it yourself. Definitely, there is quite just really a certain art into stirring it completely, so that just could also really basically be sort of trickier than it, you understand, seems!
Too it’s almost fascinating definitely studying every little thing you actually literally can possibly know about the history behind all this. Obviously, It sort of truly really provides a whole new regard of basically precisely why matcha really is completely celebrated in Japan; At the end of the day, in fact, it might even really quite literally turn you from sort of somebody who believes “Nah, I kinda sort of really literally would not even prefer matcha,” into at the very least somebody who’s a lot more like “Oh right, maybe I just could literally quite actually appreciate it!.” That is the hope anyway.
Things to Consider Before You Go
Alright, the tour I joined was definitely just really about 4-5 hours. Okay, The amount of you certainly do honestly appreciate depends so very very greatly upon literally just how long you’re looking to basically spend at those locations; It might literally truly quite perhaps kinda feel rather speedy really; maybe basically, specifically basically if, for instance, you kinda also literally have, basically, any fascination really, seriously literally, with kinda obtaining honestly like tons more details.
Right, what’s rather amazing to note really truly honestly is if honestly it also definitely honestly involves transportation in getting about, is that? Probably, Several honestly might truly actually definitely really seriously leave via train from Kyoto basically (really as just literally what I did.) Definitely, this truly only literally definitely normally will definitely cost only a couple literally bucks and it also honestly will provide you honestly an absolutely, completely new way basically to observe even more about Japan through some honestly genuinely stunning countryside, I mean!
Basically, don’t really really definitely be so definitely extremely amazed that so extremely typically things in this place really genuinely do end really honestly in regards, honesty so literally how truly the food would be. Basically, quite honestly definitely have a basically absolutely definitely have truly that literally seriously famous matcha ice cream which you really certainly can absolutely locate everywhere; Honestly, It seriously, honesty has to be an essential part literally for honestly pretty basically very quite literally just really about almost essentially basically any tourist! Really!
Is the Uji Green Tea Tour Worth It?
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