Top 15 Uji Tours

1.World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,573 reviews · from $129Our pick

Leave Kyoto at 7:50 am with an English-speaking guide for a full-day trip to Nara and Uji. See Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Nara’s deer, then visit Byodoin Temple and a historic tea shop to whisk your own matcha. Lunch is optional, and the day includes plenty of walking.

“This tour was well planned and executed. Our guide had the perfect balance of info with exploring time. Something for everyone to enjoy. Great photo ops and just an overall fun experience”

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2.Nara and Uji Day Trip with Deer Park and Hot Spring

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 302 reviews · 10 hours · from $57

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Osaka to Nara and Uji, with a multilingual guide, deer crackers, temple visits, matcha stops and time at Genji no Yu hot spring. You’ll have roughly two hours in Nara and 90 minutes in Uji, plus an hour for bathing. Temple and onsen admissions, meals and drinks cost extra, and the guide varies by departure.

“Didn’t get to do the hot springs, so was a little disappointed”

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3.Green Tea Tour with Byodoin and Koshoji Temple Visits

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 72 reviews · from $111

Spend four hours in Uji with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, learning how tea, samurai history, and religion shaped the town. Taste high-grade gyokuro, visit Ujigami Shrine and Byodo-in, and finish at mountain-side Koshoji. Guides who have led the tour include Bryan, Ferdinand, Damien, David, and Lito. Temple admissions and the tea experience are included.

“Kevin was an exceptional tour guide and very knowledgeable about Japan. Grateful he helped me get on the correct train to return to my hotel. Highly recommend Kevin and this tour!”

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4.UNESCO Heritage & Tea Ceremony Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 54 reviews · 3 hours · from $66

Walk from JR Uji Station to Byodoin Temple, Uji’s shrines and Uji Bridge with an English-speaking guide in a group capped at nine. The route includes a tea ceremony at Taihoan, crossings of the Tachibara and Asagiri suspension bridges, and time for local snacks. Guides such as Yuko, Katsuhiko and Miyake-san have led engaging tours.

“Yuko is just unbelievably knowledgable, she is nice and welcoming. Also the way she do her tour is very helpful for someone who don’t know about Japanese culture, she make you feel very comfortable pretty quick. I recommande her without hesitation. Adam”

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5.Matcha Grinding Experience and Walking Tour in Uji Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $130

Meet your English-speaking guide at Kyoto Station for a four-hour outing focused on Uji. Visit Byodo-in Temple and Uji Shrine, then grind tea leaves with a traditional stone mill at Fukujuen Ujicha Kobo. Your fresh matcha comes with Japanese sweets or matcha ice cream. Guide Vincent is named in accounts of the tour.

“We had a great experience with Vincent! The tour ended up being a private tour which allowed us to go with the flow a bit more. He was great in showing us several temples and shrines, and talked us through the matcha making experience. We would definitely recommend it!”

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6.Kyoto & Uji: Full Day Sightseeing Tour from Osaka or Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · from $57

Spend about nine hours visiting eight Kyoto and Uji sights by air-conditioned vehicle, with a guide and set time at each stop. See the Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu-dera, Uji’s riverside shrines and Byōdo-in Temple. Guides named John, Jone and Cave have led tours; admission tickets and lunch are extra.

“Since we only had one day to visit Kyoto this tour was perfect for us. We got to see a lot more in one day than we would have on our own. We also liked the fact that we were given plenty of time at each destination to explore on our own.”

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7.Slow Cycling Tour at Uji’s Matcha Green Tea Fields and Heritage

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · from $130

Ride a BROMPTON bicycle around Uji with an English-speaking local navigator, visiting a tea culture center, historic shrines, Koshoji Temple, and the Uji River. The 4.5-hour route ends near Byodoin and its tea shops. Guide Takashi is among the guides associated with the tour, though your guide may vary.

“The guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great time biking around Uji and learning about their matcha production and the cities history. Highly recommend the tour for anyone visiting!!”

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8.Uji and Wazuka Matcha Farm Half Day Private Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · from $360

Spend four hours exploring Uji and the tea-growing hills of Wazuka with a private guide, including Masae, whose family has ties to the tea trade. Walk by Uji River and through tea fields, taste at least three local teas, and share a Japanese bento lunch. Private, air-conditioned transport connects the two areas.

“Really unique and informative experience. One of our favorites on our whole trip to Japan. Masae is super friendly and knowledgeable and we learned a lot about tea and match while enjoying a good meal and nice scenery. Highly recommend!”

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9.Uji Tea Ceremony and UNESCO Heritage Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $70

Spend three hours walking Uji with an English-speaking guide, from Byodoin Temple and its Phoenix Hall to Taihoan for a 30-minute tea ceremony. The route also takes in two shrines, scenic bridges and Uji Bridge, ending among the town’s tea and food shops. Guides on past tours have included Naoki, Katsuhiko, Maru and Nobumasa Myake.

“This was such a great tour. We especially loved the Boyodoin Museum and temple. Our guide Nobumasa Myake was wonderful and knowledgeable. I appreciated hearing the history of the temple and the area.”

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10.Kyoto Early Bird Tour in Uji and Fushimi Inari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $55

Start at Kyoto Station for a 5.5-hour morning walk through Fushimi Inari and Uji, finishing at Uji Station. An English-speaking guide leads a group of no more than eight, with admission to Byodoin Temple included. Genki is praised for clear explanations of Shinto and Buddhism, though your guide may differ.

“Our guide Genki was very knowledgeable with explaining the differences between Shinto and Buddhism. He gave us just enough information that we could retain it. The morning tour is not crowded, and we had lots of space around us. We diRead more”

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11.Private immersion into Kyoto’s tea and reglious culture

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $162

Spend about four hours in Uji with a private guide, visiting Ujigami Shrine, Koshoji Temple and Byodo-in. Learn how tea and Buddhism shaped local customs, taste gyokuro with a Japanese sweet, and walk Uji’s tea-lined Omotesando. Admission to the temples and Byodo-in museum is included.

“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”

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12.Cycling Tour at Uji’s Matcha Green Tea Fields and Heritage

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 4h 30m · from $160

Spend 4.5 hours exploring Uji by Brompton with an English- or Japanese-speaking local navigator. Ride quiet paths by the Uji River, visit historic shrines and Byodoin, and stop for local matcha treats. Recent guide names include Takashi and Takeshi. Bikes and riding equipment are included; snacks and some entrance fees cost extra.

“The beautiful scenery and Takeshi, the best host, made our journey through learning more about Japanese culture truly memorable.”

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13.Kyoto Hidden Riverside Zen Mediation and Uji Matcha Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $105

Spend about two hours learning the basics of seated Zen meditation on an open-air riverside deck in Kyoto. A Zen instructor with decades of experience at historic temples and shrines leads the workshop, while an English-speaking cultural guide interprets. Finish with premium Uji matcha and seasonal wagashi.

“If you are thinking about doing this experience while in Kyoto, take this review as your sign that you should register right now. This has been the highlight of our trip, amongst some very notable experiences. Highly recommend!!!”

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14.Utilising upcycled Matcha! Creating matcha incense (Uji, Kyoto)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $55

At Eshin-in Temple, five minutes from Uji Bridge, you’ll learn how matcha incense is made, then shape 6 or 7 pieces with wooden moulds. The one-hour workshop uses Uji matcha that would otherwise be thrown away. The instructor speaks Japanese; an English interpreter costs ¥8,800 per group.

“It's a experience to match matcha incense first of it's kind the host was nice and share with us the experience that she was the first”

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15.Uji Matcha Tea Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 1 day · from $3Best value

At Chazuna’s Uji Matcha Tea Museum in Kyoto, explore digital exhibits about Uji tea’s origins, production, and the differences between Gyokuro and Sencha. Then visit the history room, where a giant 10-yen coin and a large 4K display bring Uji’s past to life. The ticket is valid for one day and the museum is wheelchair accessible.

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