Episode 78 - Red Bridge, Green Tea

This photo was taken at Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

Uji is located in the south of the Kyoto City. It is one of the cities along the Nara Line which runs to and fro Kyoto and Nara. I like to travel on this railway line as there are a number of points of interests along it. Usually, I will board the train at Kyoto Station in the morning and stop at Inari for one hour or so. I then board the train again and stop at Uji for a lunch break. I then board the train again to Nara and spend the whole afternoon there before returning to Kyoto.

The red bridge in the photo is situated near to the city centre and the various historic sites where the last episode of the great Japanese fictional work Tale of Genji was staged. The bridge flies over the Uji River and merges harmoniously with the surrounding mountains. If you visit Uji during Easter holidays, you will be able to see blooming sakuras along the river banks.

Next to the red bridge is a temple called Byodoin. It is said that archaeologists dug up some important national treasures in the vicinity of the temple.

Uji is famous for tea. There are many tea shops along the street leading to the red bridge and Byodoin. I like to buy some tea here as souvenir for my relatives and friends. The shopkeepers are kind and hospitable to visitors. They will invite you to take a seat inside the shops and serve you with their famous green tea.

Apart from buying Japanese tea, my family used to stop at one of the cafes in the same street to have some delicious green tea ice-cream.