Uji: Private Immersion Into Kyoto's Tea And Reglious Culture

Uji is beautiful riverside town in a much less crowded part of Kyoto, and we had a good time with our tour guide Damien visiting some really nice temples and shrines and trying matcha. We recommend doing the tour to hit the highlights of the town and learn their history and about matcha, then getting some cold matcha soba after and hanging out by the river for a very relaxing day! Note: There are two train stations in Uji, and the one you arrive at will probably not be the one you need to meet your guide at - you can easily walk to that one from the other one, over the river.

We had a lovely time visiting Uji, Kyoto. Our guide helped us along in perfect English. The best part was visiting the old tea house, where we learned about the brewing of tea and how the same tea can taste differently depending on how you make it. Truly amazing! I would highly recommend this tour!

This was a great informational tour if you love tea and want to learn more about the spiritual culture of Japan - especially considering there are so many temples and shrines in the country. Ferdinand was an excellent guide. Very patient, answered all out questions and really enjoyed the group size. 4 people, 5 with the guide made it easy. The tour wasn't overwhelming and wasn't a lot of walking which was welcomed after our other 25-30k steps every other day of our trip. I personally enjoyed learning the proper way to brew tea and properly make my own matcha tea. We went in the afternoon tour but got to Uji early to grab lunch and explore a bit. I think that was ideal as all the shops and restaurants were closing by the time we finished our tour. Alternatively you could also go in the morning but think the lines would have been longer to wait so just need to pick your battles. Really enjoyed Uji and all the matcha foods! Gotta try them all!

We had the perfect guide through Uji. Unfortunately I don’t remember her name. She used to work at a tea farm and the tea place we ended our tour. We visited two beautiful temples and had the luxury of being there almost by ourselves. The serenity and the break we had inside the Kosho-ji temple was magical. And at the end of the tour we got to taste the amazing tea and matcha for the first time. Thank you for this amazing experience.

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

We had such a great time with our tour guide, Ferdi. He is knowledgeable and friendly - showed us some beautiful views of Uji and gave us an insightful matcha tea experience.

Ferdi is an excellent guide who is friendly and knowledgeable, and the tour was just breathtaking and tranquil. Highly recommend this tour for a fun and relaxing experience.

What an awesome experience! Bryan, our guide for the tour, was very knowledgeable, patient, and fun. We had an amazing time exploring Uji, partaking in tea, learning about the history of the places we visited, and taking time to relax. This was a very peaceful morning and a great break from the busyness of the city.

Fantastic experience in Uji with Andres. It was our last day in Japan and we were able to visit a less touristy neighborhood of Kyoto but full of charm and authenticity. We had the possibility to ask a lot of questions about the history, tea and traditions of Japan. Our guide also had a phd in Japanese history and explained many details of the temples and shrines we visited. I highly recommend the tour.

Fantastic tour! The chance to do something a little different. We really enjoyed the hands-on tea lesson. Our guide, Lito, really made our experience special. His knowledge of the area was fantastic and his engaging conversation made for a highly memorable afternoon.

Never received an email with guide’s information. Was 3 minutes late to meeting point due to travel mistake (my fault for taking a local train instead of express). I tried to contact the company by email 30 minutes before since I was aware I took the wrong train. I never received a reply after sending it requesting to communicate with the guide or company. Just beware there are actually 2 exits to Uji station so it took me a minute to walk out the first one and see nobody was there then out to the second exit to see I was in front of the station.I was still able to have a good time on my own but I was disappointed to have missed the tour. I booked through get your guide and I would not recommend booking it again due to lack of communication.

David was a knowledgeable guide who spoke English and Japanese. Tea drinking can be a complex event! Also visited a temple.

Kevin was a wonderful guide. He communicated with me a few days before, was there to meet us and provided an excellent tour. He was welcoming, friendly, knowledgeable about Japan after living many years there. He was super nice about taking pictures of my daughter and me. He also provided time for us to go tea shopping at the end. I'm recommending him to friends who will be traveling to Japan in the near future.

Our first stop with guide Kevin took us to the Byodion Temple. Kevin pointed out that the 10 Yen coin was based on this Temple. Lots of tours go to area but Kevin was able to get us in ahead of the crowds. He also took us to a hidden Shinto Shrine. Pace was just right. We finished with a tea ceremony. Not knowing anything about tea, I was pleasantly surprised. The host was patient and fun during Tea preparation. I was a nice way to end the tour. Kevin also provided food recommendations for us to try in Kyoto.

Our tour guide Ferdinand was very knowledgeable and friendly. He also provided us with a fun experience. We recommend this tour; however the meeting location needs to be more specific for future guests.

This was an incredible tour hosted by Mika in Uji, Kyoto. We thoroughly enjoyed every part of it. The Byodoin temple was beautiful and the museum that accompanied the tour was well worth our time. The shrines were also gorgeous. However, our favourite part of the experience as a whole was the tea making + tasting part of the tour. We loved learning more about green tea and the different temperatures at which it needs to be to develop a certain flavour. I would highly recommend this tour. Please go!