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24-445: Novala Takemoto ( 嶽本 野ばら , Takemoto Nobara ) is the professional name of Toshiaki Takemoto ( 嶽本 稔明 , Takemoto Toshiaki ) , a Japanese author, and fashion designer. Takemoto was born in Uji , south of Kyoto . As a child, he was shy and preferred drawing and reading (two of his favorite authors were Osamu Dazai and Yasunari Kawabata ) to spending time with others, and

48-624: A Kansai free arts newspaper. These essays were collected and published in book format in 1998 as Soleilnuit: For Becoming a Proper Young Lady , and received wide recognition. These essays also increased the popularity of the Japanese term otome , referring to a young lady or young maiden . Shogakukan published his debut novel Missin' in 2000. He was nominated for the Yukio Mishima Literary Award twice, for his novels Emily (in 2003) and Lolita (in 2004). Takemoto

72-517: A few exceptions, most of the important historical sites are in walking distance of one another and all are easily accessed by rail. The last ten chapters of the Japanese classic novel The Tale of Genji take place in Uji, and so there is The Tale of Genji Museum . Uji has many natural attractions, including its scenic riverside, large parks, and a botanical garden. Slightly upriver from Uji bridge,

96-542: Is Route 307, which runs east/west along the southern edge of the city between Osaka and Shiga prefecture. This is a fairly rural road that leads through the mountains and, once away from the urban centers, makes a nice day trip. Of special interest to motorsports enthusiasts is the Ujigawa Line (Uji River Line). This twisty road parallels the Uji River between Uji and Otsu and is a favorite for racers. The road

120-647: Is best known for Shimotsuma Monogatari , titled Kamikaze Girls in English. The series was adapted to a manga and a film which was directed by Tetsuya Nakashima . Another of his novels, Twins: A Variety Store Named "The End of the World" , was also adapted for film in 2001 by Kiseki Hamada. Takemoto was arrested in September 2007 for violating the Cannabis Control Law and was later convicted of

144-482: Is dangerous and often claims lives. Due to numerous accidents, the route is closed to motorcycles for most of August, when Japanese schools are typically out of session. Uji has friendship agreements with three other cities: Tsuen Tea Tsuen Tea ( 通圓 , Tsūen ) is the oldest tea house in Japan, founded in 1160 in Uji city, Kyoto Prefecture , Japan . It is also the 13th oldest company in Japan, and

168-505: Is operated by the 24th generation of the Tsuen family. The founder of Tsuen was Furukawa Unai, a samurai vassal of Minamoto no Yorimasa . After retiring in his later years, Furukawa adopted the last character of his master's name (政 Masa), and called himself Tsuen Masahisa (通圓政久). He became a monk and took up residence at the east end of Uji Bridge. His descendants carried on the Tsuen surname, serving as guardians of Uji Bridge, by praying for

192-538: Is primarily used by commuters and includes Ogura , Iseda , and Ōkubo . No stations are close to the main tourist sites. Local buses have routes in the city and public transportation is good. Charter buses to and from the Kansai International ( KIX ) and Itami airports can be caught at most of the train stations. Uji is south of the main Meishin Expressway and is served directly by

216-655: Is the second largest city in Kyoto Prefecture . It has an area of 67.54 km , giving it a population density of 2,660 persons per km . In the 4th century the son of Emperor Ōjin established a palace in Uji. The 11th-century author, Murasaki Shikibu , set much of the final chapters of The Tale of Genji at Uji. The first battle of Uji in 1180 was the first clash of the Genpei War . Taira forces caught up with Minamoto forces that were attempting to make their way to Nara and defeated them. Later in

240-602: The Amagase Dam spans the river and day trippers can walk to its base in about an hour. The route, which begins directly across from Keihan Uji Station, is along the river on a paved road and offers access to several grassy open spaces where people can rest and picnic. The city hosts two major festivals each year. The Agata Festival, held on June 5, begins in the early morning and runs until late at night. Like many cities in Japan, Uji hosts an hours-long fireworks festival on August 10. Both events draw huge crowds and require that

264-578: The 30th oldest in the world, appearing on the List of oldest companies . Located across from Uji Station on the Keihan Uji line, just east of Uji Bridge (originally constructed in 646), successive generations of Tsuen owners provided tea to travelers as "bridge guardians." The shop is the subject of a Kyōgen farce called "Tsuen" and also appears in Eiji Yoshikawa 's epic novel Musashi . Today it

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288-701: The Keiji Bypass, a toll road that was completed a few years ago. The Keiji Bypass circumvents Kyoto and Ōtsu which can be subject to traffic jams. The road is notable for its high trestles and series of long tunnels — including one that is approximately six miles long. The Keiji Bypass links to Dai Ni Keihan Road (Number Two Kyoto Osaka Road) which is under construction and usable for at least part of its length. Non- toll roads include Route 1 which runs between Kyoto and Osaka and Route 24 which runs between Kyoto and Nara . These roads are usually filled with traffic and have many stoplights. Close by

312-631: The Uji Bridge. The station is close to Uji's Tale of Genji Town, Uji Bridge, and the Byodoin. All trains on this line stop at every station. The JR Nara Line runs between Kyoto and Nara . JR Uji station was, until a few years ago, fairly rural but was recently rebuilt to better serve the city. Architecturally it mimics the Byodo-in and is on the opposite side of the Uji river, about 10 minutes' walk from Keihan Uji Station. The clock in front of

336-459: The area. Since then Uji has been an important production and distribution center of superior quality green tea. Tsuen tea has been served since 1160 and is still sold in the oldest tea shop in Japan and possibly the world—the Tsuen tea shop . In the 15th century, shimamono tea jars destined to be used in the Japanese tea ceremony were brought by the shōgun from Luzon to Uji. Uji contains

360-596: The crime. He was arrested again in 2015 after he was found to have two grams of contraband that are banned under the Narcotics Control Law in his possession. Uji, Kyoto Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto . The city sits on the Uji River , which has its source in Lake Biwa . As of 1 October 2020 Uji has a population of 179,630 and

384-406: The durability of the bridge as well as the safety and health of the people who used it. As part of this role, they also served tea to travelers. Various historical figures have been recorded as having tea at Tsuen, including the shoguns Ashikaga Yoshimasa , Toyotomi Hideyoshi , and Tokugawa Ieyasu . The current building incorporates the remains of a merchant residence built in 1672. Viewed from

408-464: The ethnic Korean enclave Utoro district , which was formed from forced laborers who were made to build an airstrip in Kyoto beginning in 1941. Per Japanese census data, the population of Uji has recently plateaued after decades of strong growth. Most visitors are attracted to Uji for its centuries-old historic sites, which include many Shinto shrines , Buddhist temples and Hindu Shrines . Among

432-467: The front, it has overhanging eaves with a wide frontage and few support pillars. This method of construction is from the early Edo period , and makes it easy for people to come and go from the shop. Inside the entrance there is a display of ceramic tea jars that are several hundred years old, along with a small wooden statue of the Tsuen founder presented by Ikkyū Oshō. A wooden well bucket reputed to have been made by Sen no Rikyū can also be seen. Today,

456-604: The head temple of the Ōbaku Zen sect, built in Chinese Ming style in 1661 and the Zen temple Kōshō-ji, with its Kotozaka entrance (framed with dense thickets of cherry , kerria , azalea , and maple trees, each of which dramatically changes color with the seasons) constructed in 1648. Noteworthy is the Mimuroto-ji, which is famous for its purple hydrangeas. The city features numerous other small Shinto shrines. With

480-667: The most famous are the Ujigami Shrine (built in 1060) and the Byōdō-in that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site " Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto ". The Byōdō-in , with its Amida (Phoenix) Hall built in 1053, is featured on the obverse side of the 10 yen coin . It was also featured on several Japanese postage stamps, a. o. of 1950, 1957 and 1959. Other religious sites include the Manpuku-ji ,

504-405: The station is of special interest and, every hour on the hour, opens to reveal an automated show that celebrates the town's heritage as a center of tea production. Like Keihan Uji Station , JR Uji has easy access to the same sites. The station is served by local and express trains. Kintetsu serves West Uji with a line between Kyoto and Nara and does not have a station named for the town. The line

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528-423: The town's main thoroughfare to be shut down. There is cormorant fishing in summer during the evening, from mid-June to late September. Uji is served by three rail companies: JR West , Keihan , and Kintetsu . The Keihan line which runs primarily between Kyoto and downtown Osaka serves the city via the branch Uji Line running from Chushojima station and ending along the river at Keihan Uji Station beside

552-563: The war, two factions of Genji clashed at the second battle of Uji in 1184. In 1221, the Jōkyū War was decided at the third battle of Uji , in which forces of the Kamakura shogunate defeated the retired emperor Go-Toba , consolidating the shogunate's control over Japan and the Hōjō clan 's control over the shogunate. Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–1408) promoted cultivation of Uji tea in

576-476: Was a big fan of the anime series Candy Candy , in the discovery of which he was "happy to finally find what [he] liked". He was also sometimes beaten by his father, which he says persuaded him to follow his own path in life. After dropping out of Osaka University of Arts in 1987, he participated in a variety of artistic, musical and theatrical activities. From 1992 to 1997, he made his literary debut contributing serial essays to Hanagata Bunka Tsūshin (花形文化通信),

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