Peonies protected by paper umbrellas at the Ueno Toshogu garden

Peonies protected by paper umbrellas at the Ueno Toshogu garden (Photo: Mandy Bartok)

Peony Garden at Ueno Toshogu

Spring blooms outside Ueno's famous shrine

Mandy Bartok Apr 14, 2015 - 1 min read

Peonies protected by paper umbrellas at the Ueno Toshogu garden

The peonies come in a variety of pinks, whites and reds

Close-up of a beautiful bloom

There are at least four dozen different species of peonies in the garden

The garden is located right next to the Ueno Toshogu Shrine

You can even catch glimpses of the park's five story pagoda from the end of the garden

Ueno Park is known for its candy-colored cherry blossoms but there are other blooms that deserve some attention here in the springtime. Stop by the Ueno Toshogu Shrine from mid-April to early May for a tour of the spring peony garden. The carefully-tended flowers are laid out in a maze-like formation, with the delicate petals protected by dozens of paper umbrellas. There are multiple species of peonies, some from as far afield as South America. If you compose your photos properly, you might even be able to capture Ueno's five-story pagoda behind the blooms.

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Find out more about Ueno Park.

Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok @mandy.bartok

Japan resident for 10 years, with time spent in Okinawa, Kumamoto and Tokyo.