Uda City occupies the majority of Nara’s mountainous east corner. Regular train services on the Kintetsu Osaka Line make this countryside area easily accessible, and its rich cultural history and natural wonders make it worth a look. Here are the top 5 reasons to visit Uda City:
Onoji Temple
Onoji was founded in 681 by the creator of Shugendo mountain ascetic Buddhism, En no Gyoja. It is best known for its 11.5 meter tall carving of the Buddha on the cliff across the Uda River from the temple. The carving is believed to have been created by an artist from Song (in present day China) between 1207 and 1209. Onoji is also home to several weeping shidare sakura trees, along with Japanese maples and other deciduous trees that color the temple’s grounds in the spring and the fall.
Onoji Temple is a short walk to the south of Muroguchiono Station and is accessible via a 68 minute train ride from JR Nara Station, with a change to the Kintetsu Line at Sakurai Station. One way costs ¥670.
Muroji Temple
Muroji Temple was founded between 770 and 781, and construction of the temple was first completed in the early 9th century. A number of Muroji’s buildings date from that period, including its 5-story pagoda which is a National Treasure and Important Cultural Property. It’s the smallest 5-story pagoda of its kind, and the second oldest pagoda in Japan after Horyuji Temple’s Pagoda. Muroji was also one of, if not the first temple to allow women to practice Buddhism and has become known as “Women’s Koyasan.” An abundance of Japanese maples and other deciduous trees make Muroji Temple a delightful place to view Japan’s fiercely beautiful autumn foliage.
Muroji Temple is about 7 kilometers into the mountains south of Muroguchiono Station. A bus makes 8 round trip journeys per day from the station, the one way fare is ¥430.
Matabei Sakura
Most ghost stories are scary but the one behind the Matabei Sakura, one of Uda City’s and Nara Prefecture’s most spectacular cherry blossom viewing locations, is anything but. Goto Matabei was a high ranking samurai warrior in the Toyotomi Clan’s army in the early 17th century. He demonstrated incredible bravery and valor during the Osaka Summer Wars of 1615, the conflict that would solidify the Tokugawa Shogunate’s control over Japan. Matabei is reported to have killed 70-80 of the Tokugawa Army’s soldiers and horseman before taking a bullet and committing seppuku. According to legend Matabei’s soul returned to his family home in the mountains of Nara to await a revival of the Toyotomi Clan. While his soul waited a sakura tree began growing out of the ruins of his estate. That sakura tree, the Matabei Sakura, is over 300 years old and a spectacular site to see at over 13 meters in height, and with a trunk circumference exceeding 3 meters.
The Matabei Sakura’s glorious spring floral display is accessible via an “O-uda” bound bus from Kintetsu Haibara Station. There’s no need to worry about missing the stop as the Matabei Sakura is at the end of the line.
Matsuyama Historic District
The O-uda area to the south of Haibara Station is home to the Matsuyama Historic District and a number of Edo (1603-1868), Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) era houses, inns, and stores. The oldest building in the district dates from the middle of the Edo period. A number of the structures, including the Kubo and Yoshimura sake breweries and the Yaku no Kan Medicinal Herb Factory and garden, are open to the public.
The Matsuyama Old District is accessible via an “O-uda" bound bus from Habra Station. Get off at the Michi no Eki Udaji O-uda Road Station.
“Kagirohi” Light Before Dawn
Kagirohi is a unique natural phenomenon in which sunlight and a colorful glow on the eastern horizon appears an hour before the sun rises. It is said to be best observed on a cold and cloudless winter morning. Uda City has a prime location from which to view the kagirohi, the Kagirohi Hill in O-uda, and there is a special event held annually on the 17th of November (the Kagirohi wo Mirukai) to enjoy the phenomenon.
Works consulted:
Bhattacharyya, Asoke Kumar (2004). Early and Buddhist stone sculpture of Japan. Abhinav Publications. p. 34. ISBN 81-7017-422-8.
Itō, Matsuo (2003). En no Gyōja (修験道の開祖 役行者 その足跡に迫る) (in Japanese). Bungeisha. pp. 87–88. ISBN 4-8355-6114-7.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cno-ji
Young, David; Michiko Young; Tan Hong Yew; Ben Simmons; Murata Noboru (2007). The Art of Japanese Architecture. Tuttle Publishing. p. 69. ISBN 0-8048-3838-0.
Mimura, Isao (三村威左男) (2005). Five-storied pagodas in Japan (日本の五重塔総覧) (in Japanese). Bungeisha. p. 185. ISBN 4-8355-9083-X.
http://www.murouji.or.jp/guide/access/p3.html (Japanese)
http://www.murouji.or.jp/index.html (Japanese)
女人高野』 - 田川寿美の2002年発売の演歌。従来の演歌とは一線を画した歌唱が特徴。
http://aknv.city.uda.nara.jp/matuyama/machiya.html (Japanese)
http://aknv.city.uda.nara.jp/matuyama/index.htm (Japanese)
http://www.pref.nara.jp/18212.htm (Japanese)
http://www.city.uda.nara.jp/sin-kankou/guide/park_leisure/p01.html (Japanese)
http://www.kintetsu.co.jp/spot/spot_info/spot0003265.html (Japanese)
Photo credits:
Muroji Temple 5-story pagoda, photo by Wikipedia contributor KENPEI, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Murouji_gojyunoto2.jpg, shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License
“Sakura Tree at Ono-dera Temple.” Photo by Wikipedia contributor Hamachidori, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cerasus_spachiana_at_Ono-dera_01.jpg, shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License
“Matabei Sakura Tree.” This Wikipedia image was taken by the user Historic Sites Explore and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Matabee_Sakura.JPG under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 License
“Matabei Sakura from Above.” This Flickr image was taken by the user IGALOG and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/iga-photo/16821982617 under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License
“Onoji Temple Magaibutsu Carving.” This Wikipedia image was taken by the user KENPEI and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Onodera_magaibutsu.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License
“Autumn at Muroji Temple.” This Flickr image was taken by the user Tanaka Juuyoh and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tanaka_juuyoh/5212626985 under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License
“Uda Matsuyama Historic District.” This Wikipedia image was taken by the user 663highland and is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uda_Matsuyama18s3872.jpg under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License