diff --git a/ndn-cxx/name-component.cpp b/ndn-cxx/name-component.cpp
index f41fda0..4338cc4 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/name-component.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/name-component.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,17 @@
   return (to_underlying(g_conventionDecoding) & to_underlying(Convention::TYPED)) != 0;
 }
 
+static bool
+chooseAltUri(UriFormat format)
+{
+  if (format == UriFormat::DEFAULT) {
+    static const char* env = std::getenv("NDN_NAME_ALT_URI");
+    static bool defaultSetting = env == nullptr || env[0] != '0';
+    return defaultSetting;
+  }
+  return format == UriFormat::ALTERNATE;
+}
+
 void
 Component::ensureValid() const
 {
@@ -169,16 +180,21 @@
 }
 
 void
-Component::toUri(std::ostream& os) const
+Component::toUri(std::ostream& os, UriFormat format) const
 {
-  detail::getComponentTypeTable().get(type()).writeUri(os, *this);
+  if (chooseAltUri(format)) {
+    detail::getComponentTypeTable().get(type()).writeUri(os, *this);
+  }
+  else {
+    detail::ComponentType().writeUri(os, *this);
+  }
 }
 
 std::string
-Component::toUri() const
+Component::toUri(UriFormat format) const
 {
   std::ostringstream os;
-  toUri(os);
+  toUri(os, format);
   return os.str();
 }
 
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/name-component.hpp b/ndn-cxx/name-component.hpp
index 2039e21..5f89110 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/name-component.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/name-component.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@
 namespace ndn {
 namespace name {
 
+/** @brief Identify a format of URI representation.
+ */
+enum class UriFormat {
+  DEFAULT,   ///< ALTERNATE, unless `NDN_NAME_ALT_URI` environment variable is set to '0'
+  CANONICAL, ///< always use <type-number>=<percent-encoded-value> format
+  ALTERNATE, ///< prefer alternate format when available
+};
+
 /** @brief Identify a style of NDN Naming Conventions.
  *  @sa https://named-data.net/publications/techreports/ndn-tr-22-2-ndn-memo-naming-conventions/
  */
@@ -251,19 +259,17 @@
 
   /**
    * @brief Write *this to the output stream, escaping characters according to the NDN URI format.
-   * @param os The output stream where to write the URI escaped version of *this
-   * @sa http://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
+   * @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
    */
   void
-  toUri(std::ostream& os) const;
+  toUri(std::ostream& os, UriFormat format = UriFormat::DEFAULT) const;
 
   /**
    * @brief Convert *this by escaping characters according to the NDN URI format.
-   * @return The escaped string
-   * @sa http://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
+   * @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
    */
   std::string
-  toUri() const;
+  toUri(UriFormat format = UriFormat::DEFAULT) const;
 
 public: // naming conventions
   /**
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/name.cpp b/ndn-cxx/name.cpp
index 01513b7..9763f25 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/name.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/name.cpp
@@ -112,14 +112,6 @@
   }
 }
 
-std::string
-Name::toUri() const
-{
-  std::ostringstream os;
-  os << *this;
-  return os.str();
-}
-
 template<encoding::Tag TAG>
 size_t
 Name::wireEncode(EncodingImpl<TAG>& encoder) const
@@ -350,21 +342,28 @@
   return count1 - count2;
 }
 
-// ---- stream operators ----
+// ---- URI representation ----
 
-std::ostream&
-operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Name& name)
+void
+Name::toUri(std::ostream& os, name::UriFormat format) const
 {
-  if (name.empty()) {
+  if (empty()) {
     os << "/";
+    return;
   }
-  else {
-    for (const auto& component : name) {
-      os << "/";
-      component.toUri(os);
-    }
+
+  for (const auto& component : *this) {
+    os << "/";
+    component.toUri(os, format);
   }
-  return os;
+}
+
+std::string
+Name::toUri(name::UriFormat format) const
+{
+  std::ostringstream os;
+  toUri(os, format);
+  return os.str();
 }
 
 std::istream&
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/name.hpp b/ndn-cxx/name.hpp
index 18b1fc3..d1c9c8d 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/name.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/name.hpp
@@ -92,13 +92,19 @@
    */
   Name(std::string uri);
 
+  /** @brief Write URI representation of the name to the output stream
+   *  @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
+   */
+  void
+  toUri(std::ostream& os, name::UriFormat format = name::UriFormat::DEFAULT) const;
+
   /** @brief Get URI representation of the name
    *  @return URI representation; "ndn:" scheme identifier is not included
    *  @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
    *  @note To print URI representation into a stream, it is more efficient to use ``os << name``.
    */
   std::string
-  toUri() const;
+  toUri(name::UriFormat format = name::UriFormat::DEFAULT) const;
 
   /** @brief Check if this Name instance already has wire encoding
    */
@@ -636,6 +642,16 @@
     return lhs.compare(rhs) >= 0;
   }
 
+  /** @brief Print URI representation of a name
+   *  @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
+   */
+  friend std::ostream&
+  operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Name& name)
+  {
+    name.toUri(os);
+    return os;
+  }
+
 public:
   /** @brief Indicates "until the end" in getSubName() and compare().
    */
@@ -647,12 +663,6 @@
 
 NDN_CXX_DECLARE_WIRE_ENCODE_INSTANTIATIONS(Name);
 
-/** @brief Print URI representation of a name
- *  @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
- */
-std::ostream&
-operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Name& name);
-
 /** @brief Parse URI from stream as Name
  *  @sa https://named-data.net/doc/NDN-packet-spec/current/name.html#ndn-uri-scheme
  */
diff --git a/tests/unit/name-component.t.cpp b/tests/unit/name-component.t.cpp
index c009175..fe62ee0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/name-component.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/name-component.t.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.type(), tlv::GenericNameComponent);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.isGeneric(), true);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(), "ndn-cxx");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::CANONICAL), "8=ndn-cxx");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::ALTERNATE), "ndn-cxx");
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(comp), "ndn-cxx");
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(Component::fromEscapedString("ndn-cxx"), comp);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(Component::fromEscapedString("8=ndn-cxx"), comp);
@@ -98,15 +100,19 @@
   for (size_t i = 0; i < hexUpper.size(); i += 2) {
     hexPct += "%" + hexUpper.substr(i, 2);
   }
+  const std::string hexPctCanonical = "%28%BA%D4%B5%27%5B%D3%92%DB%B6p%C7%5C%F0%B6o%13%F7%94%2B%21%E8%0FU%C0%E8k7GS%A5H";
 
   Component comp(Block(type, fromHex(hexLower)));
 
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.type(), type);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(), uriPrefix + hexLower);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::CANONICAL), to_string(type) + "=" + hexPctCanonical);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::ALTERNATE), uriPrefix + hexLower);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(comp), uriPrefix + hexLower);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(uriPrefix + hexLower));
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(uriPrefix + hexUpper));
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(to_string(type) + "=" + hexPct));
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(to_string(type) + "=" + hexPctCanonical));
 
   CHECK_COMP_ERR(comp.wireDecode(Block(type, fromHex("A791806951F25C4D"))), "TLV-LENGTH must be 32");
   CHECK_COMP_ERR(Component::fromEscapedString(uriPrefix), "TLV-LENGTH must be 32");
@@ -133,6 +139,8 @@
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.isNumber(), true);
   const auto compUri = uriPrefix + "42";
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(), compUri);
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::CANONICAL), to_string(type) + "=%2A");
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp.toUri(UriFormat::ALTERNATE), compUri);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(comp), compUri);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(compUri));
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(comp, Component::fromEscapedString(to_string(type) + "=%2A"));
diff --git a/tests/unit/name.t.cpp b/tests/unit/name.t.cpp
index 44c261e..21ecc00 100644
--- a/tests/unit/name.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/name.t.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 namespace tests {
 
 using Component = name::Component;
+using UriFormat = name::UriFormat;
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(TestName)
 
@@ -47,6 +48,10 @@
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(name[4], Component("\x1C\x9F"));
   BOOST_CHECK(name[5].isImplicitSha256Digest());
 
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(name.toUri(UriFormat::CANONICAL),
+                    "/8=Emid/25042=P3/8=.../8=..../8=%1C%9F/"
+                    "1=%04%15%E3bJ%15%18P%AChl%84%F1U%F2%98%08%C0%DDs%81%9A%A4%A4%C2%0B%E7%3AM%8A%87L");
+
   Block wire = name.wireEncode();
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(wire,
     "0737 0804456D6964 FD61D2025033 0800 08012E 08021C9F "
@@ -58,6 +63,9 @@
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(ParseUri)
 {
+  // canonical URI
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(Name("/8=hello/8=world").toUri(), "/hello/world");
+
   // URI with correct scheme
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(Name("ndn:/hello/world").toUri(), "/hello/world");