On Uji River, there are Tonoshima Island and Tachibanajima Island. They are collectively called Nakanoshima Island. Nakanoshima Island and Yorimichi Park on the left bank are collectively called Uji Park. Four bridges (Asagiri Bridge, Kisen Bridge, Tachibana Bridge and Nakajima Bridge) connect the two islands and both riverbanks.
This area is renowned as a great hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) spot, and in early April, Ujigawa Sakura Festival is held on and around the islands.
In the summer, “Cormorant Fishing on the Uji River” is held. (Cormorants are birds. Cormorant masters wearing traditional clothing manipulate them to catch fish.) This is why you can see a cormorant shed on Tonoshima Island.
In early October, Uji Tea Festival is held in this area, too.
On Tonoshima Island, there stands a beautiful 13-story pagoda that is around 15 meters tall. It was built by Eison in 1286, praying for the souls of fish. Eison was a Buddhist monk of Saidaiji Temple in Nara. In 1756, a great flood caused the pagoda to collapse and become buried. Around the end of the Meiji Period (1868-1912), a large part of it was excavated, and the entire pagoda was rebuilt.
- Address
- Uji, Uji City, Kyoto
- Access
- About 10 min. on foot from Uji Station (Keihan Uji Line)
About 10 min. on foot from Uji Station (JR Nara Line)
