[Uji: Its Origins and Future]
Uji was originally a villa area for the Fujiwara clan, who reached the height of their prosperity during the Heian period. A magnificent court culture flourished here, and the Byodoin Phoenix Hall, built to embody the Western Pure Land in this world, continues to reflect its beautiful form on the water's surface as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In the first half of the 5th century, as the Yamato regime was solidifying its foundation, it is said that the detached palace of Prince Uji no Wakiiratsuko—the deity enshrined at Ujigami Shrine and Uji Shrine—was located here. The “Kojiki” and “Nihon Shoki” chronicles tell the story of how Prince Uji no Wakiiratsuko, son of Emperor Ojin, took his own life in Uji to yield the throne to his older brother, Oosazaki no Mikoto (later Emperor Nintoku). In the mid-7th century, the construction of Uji Bridge increased the area's importance as a strategic hub for land and water transportation connecting Nara, Kyoto, and Shiga. Consequently, numerous battles for political power took place around the bridge.
During the Heian period, Uji was loved for its proximity to the capital and its scenic beauty, which could be enjoyed via ox-drawn carriages. Aristocrats built villas in this picturesque landscape of mountains and clear waters. On the site said to be owned by Fujiwara no Michinaga as the Uji Palace, his son Yorimichi built Byodoin, famous for its Amida Hall (Phoenix Hall) representing the Pure Land. Around the same time, the main hall of Ujigami Shrine, the oldest existing example of shrine architecture in Japan, is also believed to have been built. Many waka poems related to Uji were composed in the “Man'yoshu” and “Kokin Wakashu,” including those by Kisen Hoshi, one of the Six Immortal Poets. Uji is also well known as the primary setting for the “Uji Chapters,” the final ten chapters of “The Tale of Genji.”
During the transition from an aristocratic to a warrior society, the so-called Genpei War unfolded here. This included the “Battle of Uji Bridge,” where Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa fought the Taira clan across the Uji River, as well as the “Race to be First across the Uji River,” where Minamoto no Yoshitsune and others fought Kiso Yoshinaka under the orders of Minamoto no Yoritomo. The thirteen-story stone pagoda, a landmark of Uji standing on an islet upstream from Uji Bridge, was established in the Kamakura period by the monk Eison of Saidai-ji Temple. It serves as a symbol of the bridge's reconstruction and the prohibition of killing in the Uji River, and it has been preserved to this day despite repeated damage and reconstruction due to flooding.
In the Muromachi period, tea cultivation—introduced to Uji in the Kamakura period by the monk Myoe of Toganoo Kozan-ji Temple—began in earnest. Under the protection of shoguns and feudal lords, the reputation of Uji tea gradually grew. Toward the end of the Muromachi period, the area became a battlefield for conflicts such as the “Onin War,” the “Yamashiro Province Uprising,” and the “Battle of Makishima Castle.” Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the Taiko Embankment at Ogura Pond to the south of Uji Bridge and developed a new highway over it, which changed Uji's role as a transportation hub. In the Edo period, the residences of “ocha-shi” (tea masters) granted special privileges by the shogunate lined the current Uji-bashi Street, and every year in early summer, tea jars traveled between Edo and Uji. Even today, the townscape of the Nakauji area retains the atmosphere of that time.
Furthermore, the monk Ingen, who founded Obaku Manpuku-ji Temple in Uji, introduced the culture of steeping tea leaves in a teapot. Once Nagatani Soen established the “Uji Method” of processing tea into a vibrant green color—a method that continues today—Uji tea became a major sensation after merchants brought it back to Edo. While Uji's tea industry underwent significant changes with the collapse of the shogunate system, Uji tea became an export commodity and continued to receive high praise in domestic competitions. It remains highly prized as a luxury tea today.
In the mid-Meiji period, the arrival of the railway led to a sudden increase in visitors to Uji. In the Taisho period, the Uji Power Plant—one of the largest hydroelectric plants in Japan at the time—began operations, bringing electricity to the area. Simultaneously, new tourist spots like the “Uji River Line” (scenic cruises) emerged. In contrast, during the Showa era, Ogura Pond, once a fishing ground and scenic waterside spot, was converted into farmland through a national reclamation project, significantly altering the residents' lives and the landscape. Today, Uji is visited by many people from Japan and abroad as a city where one can enjoy beautiful scenery centered on the Uji River, numerous cultural properties including World Heritage sites and National Treasures, and tea that represents Japanese culture. It is also celebrated as a city associated with Murasaki Shikibu.
Byodoin, built by Fujiwara no Yorimichi, and Ujigami Shrine face each other across the Uji River. Byodoin on the west bank symbolizes the “afterlife” (higan), while Ujigami Shrine on the east bank symbolizes “this world” (shigan). When crossing the Asagiri Bridge over the Uji River, there is a spot where you can catch a glimpse of the phoenixes atop Byodoin through the trees. The scenic landscape of Uji, which has witnessed so much history, will surely be passed down to future generations just like the flow of the Uji River.
Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/
References
https://travel.ujicci.or.jp/app/public/history
https://www.city.uji.kyoto.jp/murasakisp/
