Literary Uji
Fushimi Inari draws millions. Ujigami Shrine draws almost nobody — which is remarkable, because the building you are standing in front of is older than almost anything you will encounter in Japan.
Ujigami Shrine holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving Shinto shrine architecture in Japan. The main hall dates to the late Heian period, likely the late 11th century — making it a contemporary of The Tale of Genji itself.
The Main Hall (本殿): Three small inner sanctuaries sit within a single outer structure — an architectural arrangement unique in Japan. The timber is original, simpler, lower, and more intimate with the ground than shrines built in later centuries.
Kiri-no-I (桐原水): In the shrine precincts, one of the three famous pure springs of Uji still flows. You can see the spring water running through a wooden channel.
The Rabbit: Look for the rabbit throughout the shrine precincts. The rabbit is the divine messenger of Uji, and the motif appears here in unexpected corners.