My 1st trip of 2026 and we did a *quick* day trip from Kyoto to Uji (aka the land of matcha). I didn’t bring my mic so audio might be a bit chaotic, but the plan was simple: take the JR Nara Line from Kyoto (about 20 minutes, super easy), walk from Uji Station (it’s really walkable), and basically do a full-on matcha hunt. My boyfriend planned the whole day after we spent the night watching YouTube and starring places on Google, so I just followed and ate. We hit the popular matcha spots like Nakamura Tokichi (including the main store where I bought matcha powder) and Itoh Kyuemon, plus we explored the area around the river and headed toward Byodo-in. I also tried the famous matcha curry/udon situation and honestly… the “matcha curry tastes like matcha” thing is kind of a bait. It still tastes like curry (just with a bit of bitterness), and it was really good—highly recommend if you’re scared to try, just share with your boyfriend/parents if you don’t like it. Ending the vlog back at Ace Hotel Kyoto (connected to the MRT, lots of shops downstairs), plus a tiny haul like ceremonial grade matcha and some gifts. Overall: go early because it gets crowded, and if you’re a big matcha fan, Uji is 100% worth it.