Take a ten-yen coin out of your pocket in Japan and you are holding a picture of this place. The Phoenix Hall of the Byōdō-in in Uji, with its wings stretching out on either side of a central hall and bronze phoenixes on the roof, is one of the most famous buildings in the country. It was built in 1053 by Fujiwara no Yorimichi, a member of the most powerful aristocratic family of the Heian period, who converted his father's villa into a Buddhist temple. Its reflection in the pond in front was meant to evoke the Pure Land paradise of the Amida Buddha.
The Phoenix Hall survived centuries of wars and fires that destroyed much of Kyoto, which makes it one of the very few original buildings from the Heian period. Inside sits a gilded statue of Amida, surrounded by small wooden figures of celestial beings playing instruments and dancing, which are displayed in the modern museum on the site. The temple is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
Uji is a small city on the river of the same name, between Kyoto and Nara, and it is famous throughout Japan for its green tea. The streets leading to the temple are lined with tea shops selling matcha, sencha and every imaginable tea-flavoured sweet, from ice cream to noodles. Uji is also the setting for the final chapters of The Tale of Genji, the great Heian-era novel, and there is a museum dedicated to it.
For riders, Uji is a city stop: traffic is heavy and parking is limited, so leave the bike in a designated space and walk. But the area around Uji has good riding: the roads that follow the Uji river upstream toward Lake Biwa through a forested gorge, and the hills to the east toward Shiga, offer bends and views. Japan drives on the left, and city traffic requires patience.
Uji has fuel, convenience stores and plenty of places to eat. Try matcha soba, green tea noodles, or a traditional tea ceremony at one of the tea houses. Spring, with wisteria blooming at the temple in late April, and autumn are the most beautiful times to visit.