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Sitting at the end of a small jetty, this shrine, a short train journey from Kyoto, blew me away with its stillness and beauty. Here’s how to get there and what to expect when you arrive.
On my last trip to Japan, my plans had to change at the last minute. I was supposed to be in Kinosaki onsen relaxing in hot water, but the trains there were cancelled so I ended up back in Kyoto two days earlier than I planned – and over a public holiday.
It was chaos.
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While I was trying to visit less touristy places on this visit, the public transport to get me to these quite spots was so busy that I couldn’t even get on the buses to the out-of-the-way shrines and gardens I was hoping to discover. On day two, I decided I needed to get out of the city. A quick map check led me to the floating temple hall of Ukimido, which looked cute on the map.
Cute was an understatement. It turns out, I was about to discover a new addition to my list of my favourite sights in all of Japan.
Ukimodo Explained
Ukimido is located near Katata, on the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. The shrine is part of the Mangetsuji Temple and was built to house 1000 carved Buddha statues.
It was originally built in the Heian period, recreated in 1937 after a typhoon damaged it, and restored again in the 1980s.
Legend has it that a monk carved these statues after he saw a golden light shining onto the lake night after night. One night, he scooped up the light with a net and was rewarded with a statue of Buddha. He then carved 1000 statues to honour this glorious find.
The first thing you’ll see when you arrive is the two-storey entrance gate, which is designated as a Tangible Cultural Property in its own right. Pass through this, and you’ll reach the ticket office. The day I visited, it cost 300 yen to enter the shrine – which is pretty cheap for something quite so stunning. You can also have a goshuin drawn here.
The main event is then straight ahead of you. Watch for the low-hanging pine tree as you cross the bridge, you’ll need to dip quite a bit to get under it!
When you get to the area in front of the gold Buddhas, take off your shoes and put on the slippers provided.
Now you can walk around the shrine to the beautiful views behind.
I wasn’t quite prepared for how pretty this was going to be!
The day I came here, the water was completely still, a family of ducks was gliding past and in the distance was a row of fishing boats. It was just stunning and so peaceful. I couldn’t have come up with something more gorgeous if I’d tried.
How to Get To Ukimido
Getting here is very easy. The hardest part will be finding the platform at Kyoto Station! To make this a bit easier, enter the station via the Central Exit, which takes you straight to the information boards for the local JR trains. You need to take one of these.
Specifically, you need to take the Kosei Line to Katata Station. The day I went, the trains left from Platform Two. The journey should take a little over 20 minutes.
From here, you can walk 24 minutes to the shrine, or save your legs and take the bus to the Honkatata area where the shrine is located.
Sometimes, catching the bus can be a leap of faith in smaller Japanese towns, but Katata bus station is very easy to use. Follow the signs for the bus from the platform, and once you’re in the bus area, English signs clearly tell you where buses go from each stop.
The bus is also very regular, which isn’t always the case.
On the day I went, Ukimido buses departed from Stop 2. While Google Maps doesn’t tell you the bus’s number, only the kanji to look out for, the sign lets you know that you need the 100.
The bus takes IC cards, you tap when you get on and when you get off which is when you are actually charged. You can also pay with cash. The fare was 210 yen when I visited.
You’re getting off at the Katatademachi Bus Stop, and again, all the announcements are in English, so keep your ears open and your eyes on the screen at the front of the bus, and you won’t miss it.
When you get off the bus, it’s a 7-minute walk to the shrine along a pretty much straight road through the small town.
To return, retrace your steps. The bus runs on a loop, so you get back on at the same stop you got off at not on the other side of the road as per normal. Buses run every 20 minutes, and there is a timetable in the shrine, or Google Maps will show you the time of the next one.
Too Hard? Take a Tour
If you’d prefer someone else to deal with the travel logistics, you can also take a tour that includes Ukimido and the other stunning shrine in this area called Shirahige. The tour can start in Osaka or Kyoto. See more about it here.
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What’s the Best Time to Visit?
The shrine itself is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many people suggest visiting here at sunrise or sunset, as the lake’s colours are stunning. However, I’m not sure if the floating hall is open at this time, as the shrine itself is closed. You’ll be able to take pictures of it jutting out into the water, though.
Also, check the times of the first and last buses if you are coming outside of the main visiting hours.
I was here on a public holiday so, there were a few people around – probably 10 others in the whole shrine – but, I think if you came here on a normal day you’d have the whole place to yourself.
What Else Is Nearby?
Take some time to wander around the other shrines and backstreets and enjoy the peace of the small town in front of the shrine. This is mostly residential, but you’ll also find two other shrines, a small museum and a visitor’s centre, where you can hire bikes to ride around the lake.
The larger shrine, Izu Shrine, has a love rock. It’s said that if you touch this heart-shaped stone you’ll have a happy relationship.
For such a small town, Honkatata is also stacked with restaurants! If you need an early morning matcha fix, head to the Risshoen Tea Stall, which is close to the shrine’s main gate.
If you’re here at lunchtime, Pecorino, the Italian restaurant in the town has excellent reviews.
There’s also Lameri Store, a Japanese curry restaurant that makes a very pretty-looking curry and desserts. The bear ice cream is super cute, but I was there before they opened so couldn’t grab one. If it’s even later in the day, you’ll also find the local sake brewery.
Once you’ve finished, it’s an easy train ride back to Kyoto. Or, to extend your day further, you could also take the train to visit nearby Otsu, which has several other important shrines, or about an hour away is the small canal-side town of Omihachimon.
I chose to visit this area, and while it was charming, the stunning shrine of Ukimido set the bar for amazing sights a bit too high to compete. Combining the two does make a nice day trip away from the crowds of Kyoto, though.
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. You might like our First-Timers Japan Planner, which will help you plan your trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka step-by-step, including tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing and dining. Or our super-duper Tokyo Disney Planner makes arranging your park trip MUCH easier. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.
