Tokyo's Ueno Park is a popular destination, packed full of shrines, temples, museums and entertainments. From earthquake evacuation zone to cherry blossom hot spot, this cultural enclave in the city's northeast is a worthwhile stop for both locals and travelers alike.
Ueno is home to some of Tokyo's oldest remaining wooden buildings, which miraculously survived all manner of disasters. One is the Ueno Toshogu Shrine, whose main hall dates back to 1651. The shrine was dedicated to the spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun to rule a united Japan. Another is the Kiyomizu Kannon-do, constructed in 1632 as part of the Kan'ei-ji temple complex that once covered park grounds. It's best known for its "pine tree of the moon", a tree that grows in a circle and allows visitors to view the nearby Shinobazu pond and Benten-do temple through the ring. Kiyomizu Kannon-do and its pine tree is featured in a popular ukiyo-e print from master artist Utagawa Hiroshige.
The park is also home to a number of excellent museums. The Tokyo Museum of Western Art houses a collection of Impressionist masterpieces and Western sculptures, while the National Museum of Nature and Science is a hit with children for its animal specimens and interactive exhibits. The National Museum is arguably the park's crown jewel, with a collection of innumerable artifacts representing the broad sweep of Japanese history. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the small Shitamachi Museum invites visitors to step back into the Edo era, with recreated shops and houses dating from the 1700s and 1800s.
The best-loved residents of the Ueno neighborhood reside in the park's zoo, founded in 1882. Pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin remain perennial favorites, and their young cub Xiang Xiang became a huge draw after its birth in late 2017. The zoo, the oldest in Japan, exhibits a range of other animals, from Japanese macaques to giraffes and hippos. Kids also love the small amusement park located just outside the zoo's main gate.
For many Tokyo residents, there's no better place to celebrate new beginnings than the pathways of the park during cherry blossom season. In late March, between 800-1000 trees shower the area with brilliant pink blooms, drawing crowds of locals and visitors alike to picnic under the flowers.
First opened in 1882, Ueno Zoo is Japan's oldest zoo. The 14.3-hectare complex is home to over 3,000 animals of 400 different species. Notable animals in the zoo include the Giant Panda, Gorilla, and Bengal Tiger. The Ueno Zoo is an easy 5-minute walk from the JR Ueno Station Park Exit.
Established in 1872, the Tokyo National Museum is Japan's largest and oldest national museum. Originally located at Yushima Seido Shrine, the museum was moved to its current Ueno Park location a few years after its establishment. The museum has a wide selection of both permanent and temporary exhibitions, mostly themed around Japan.
Ueno Toshogu Shrine, not to be confused with the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, was built in 1627 in memory of Tokugawa Ieyasu - the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Although not as well-known as the one in Nikko, this shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan. The building is adorned by gold trimmings and intricate carvings. Admission to the shrine is free.
Japan's First Public Museum of Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is host to major art exhibitions every year. Since its founding in 1926, the building was demolished and rebuilt to its current facade in Ueno Park. The museum's diverse range of exhibitions and art shows are aimed to promote art appreciation and awareness within Tokyo.
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Want to take a stroll in a meticulously groomed park under the blue sky? Ueno Park is the perfect location!
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Ueno Park in Tokyo takes on a whole new life every autumn, as the peaceful green of the leaves turns to a jamboree of vibrant reds,..
Ueno Park is located in central Tokyo and is home to 1,200 cherry trees that will flourish with pink magical flowers. The 133-..
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Ueno Koen is a spacious western-style public park in central Tokyo that features some temples and shrines, a pond, and some more..
Ueno Park is Tokyo's first public park. It contains several museums, a large pond, a baseball ground, a concert hall, a zoo,..
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I often see Ueno Park on Japanese TV whenever cherry blossom season approches. I decided to see what the buzz was all about.
Ueno Park is a large public space located in central Tokyo, and one of the first public parks in Japan.
Ohanami in Ueno Park: Sakura-dori Avenue in Ueno Park provides a glorious scene of a long flower tunnel made of cherry blossoms.
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Ueno Park (Ueno Koen) is one of Tokyo's most famous spots for viewing the cherry blossoms during the spring sakura season.
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Beautiful lotus flowers at Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park, Tokyo
Shinobazu Pond sits in the middle of Ueno Park. This large pond has a circumference of two kilometers and is home to many birds,..
![Satsuki Festival at Ueno Park [Cancelled]](https://en.japantravel.com/photo/29114-147940/460x460!/tokyo-satsuki-festival-at-ueno-park-147940.jpg "Satsuki Festival at Ueno Park [Cancelled]")
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A traditionally minded sweets cafe in Tokyo's Ueno Park, Shin-Uguisu Tei serves a traditional Japanese snack, the famous usuigu..
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Hanami at its best at Ueno Park, Tokyo: Walk around the small lake near the park, eat many delicious Japanese dishes from the various..
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Ueno's Shinobazu Pond is home to one of the largest collection of lotus in Japan. The pond is jam-packed with beautiful pi..
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The peony garden at Ueno Toshogu Shrine opens for only a month in early spring and welcomes visitors to enjoy the various peon..
The Bell of Time in Ueno Park was once part of a series of bell towers located around old Edo to help keep time for the citizens...
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Hidden in the middle of Tokyo's Ueno Park, this magnificent peony garden is well worth discovering for nature addicts and beauty..
First opened in 1926 as Tokyo Prefectural Art Museum, it was the first public art museum in Japan, generously supported by a large..
Ueno Park, Ueno, Kiyomizu Kannon Temple, Gojoten Temple, Hanazono inari Temple, temple
The second part of my trip to Ueno Park, exploring Toshogu Shrine, Ueno Park Pagoda, Bentendo Hall Temple and the Shinobazu Pond
Kiyomize Kannon-do in Ueno Park was built in 1631. This popular temple features in Utagawa Hiroshige's '100 Famous Views..
The Tokyo National Museum or TNM is an art museum in Ueno Park in the Taitō ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is considered the oldest national museum in Jap..
Ueno Zoo is a 14.3-hectare zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, open..
Located right next to the vast Shinjuku Central Park, THE KNOT TOKYO Shinjuku is a modern boutique hotel with convenient access to nearby Shinjuku Station..
Hotel Suntargas Ueno has a great location and some free options that all add up to some comfortable accommodation in Ueno.
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Ameya-Yokochō is an open-air market in the Taito Ward of Tokyo, Japan, located next to Ueno Station. The market is approximately 164,227 square feet..
Established in 1705, Nezu Shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Tokyo. Nezu Shrine is famed for its spring azalea festival and its rows of red..
Kanda Shrine (Kanda-myōjin), is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The shrine dates back 1,270 years, but the current structure was r..
