Uji Station (Keihan), Kyoto

Location

Uji Keihan Station is located in Uji, a short walk from the Uji River and Byodoin Temple.

Architect

Designed by Hiroyuki Wakabayashi (Keihan Railway project collaboration).

Completed

1995 (station building redevelopment)

Architectural Style

Contemporary Japanese transport architecture, featuring a distinctive curved roofline inspired by traditional forms, with expressive steel structure and open, light-filled concourse spaces.

Photography Tips

Strong geometry and a distinctive roofline make this an easy subject to compose. Strong, graphic architectural forms make for great staging with a lone figure to add scale . Soft light works well here, but late afternoon adds extra depth and contrast.

These images were judged amongst the Top 10 for Architecture in Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer competition 2025.

I saw images of the Uji Station once in a story about Brutalist Architecture and was immediately fascinated, marking it down as place I’d love to go and photograph. On a trip to Japan in 2024, I spent my last 3 days in Kyoto, and after revisiting it’s most famous sites, and being a little overwhelmed by the crowds and sense of commodification, I spent my last days travelling further afield. Uji is the home of the finest matcha in Japan, and the famous Byodoin Temple (featured on the 100 yen note). The Uji JR station is a little easier to get to, and easier to get back to Kyoto, but how could you resist visiting this gem!

I spent a few hours here before heading into Uji for a delicious lunch at Tsubameya for matcha soba noodles and tempura - my mouth is watering at the thought!
I then took a quick stroll along the Uji River, before heading back to pack before my flight home the next morning.