|
Uji (宇治市; -shi) is a
city on the southern outskirts of
Kyoto, on the
Keihan line or the
JR Nara Line towards
Osaka.
As of
2003, the city has an estimated
population of 188,660, making it the largest city in the
Kyoto prefecture apart from Kyoto itself and the
density of 2,792.89 persons per
km². The total area is 67.55 km². The city sits on the Uji River
("Ujigawa"), which has its source in
Lake Biwa ("Biwa-ko"). In the
4th century the son of
Emperor Ojin established a palace in Uji.
Uji is famous in Japan for a number of reasons:
- it is the home of
Byoodoin (also known as
Amida Hall or
Phoenix Hall), the world's oldest wooden structure, built in
1053, a
UNESCO
World Heritage Site;
- it is the site of the
Battle of Ujigawa;
- it boasts an abundance of
Shinto and
Buddhist
temples, all clustered about the centre of the town, including the
Kosho-ji Zen temple, constructed in
1648, with its famous Kotozawa slope entrance (framed with dense
thickets of peach, plum, willow, cherry, and maple trees, each of which
dramatically change colour with the seasons). It also is home to Ujigami
Jinja Shrine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- it is the source of "Uji Tea", a form of very high quality Japanese
tea.
Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (1358-1408) promoted cultivation of green
tea in the Uji area, and since that time Uji has been an important
production and distribution centre of superior quality green tea
(including Tsuen tea, continuously manufactured since 1160).
The city was founded on
March 1,
1951.
|
