Ueno Park

A park filled with cherry blossom trees, museums, and a zoo

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Ueno Park is a park full of culture and art. Popular art presentations and other famous exhibitions are held here. You enjoy the turning of the seasons with the cherry blossoms and the autumn foliage. And you can also tour some important historical buildings.
Business Hours
Saturday ( 5:0 AM ~ 11:0 PM )
Sunday ( 5:0 AM ~ 11:0 PM )
Weekdays ( 5:0 AM ~ 11:0 PM )
Address
Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone
(03) 3828-5644

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About

Experience history as well as culture in nature

What makes Ueno Park special is that it is not just simply a park; you can experience history, science, and culture, and you can also spend time with animals. The park was originally part of the grounds of Kaneiji temple but was designated as one of the earliest public parks in Japan in the Meiji period (1868 – 1912). The park started out mainly as a place for viewing Kaneiji temple, Toshogu shrine and their cherry blossom trees. Subsequently, facilities were built one by one including museums of history and art, as well as a zoo. Today, you can enjoy not only nature but culture at Ueno Park. After walking around for a while, you can always take a relaxing rest at cafes that have opened near the fountain park which is the focal facility of the Ueno Park. The nearby Tokyo National Museum exhibits approximately 114,000 objects including 87 national treasure items; the museum collection is the best in Japan both in terms of quality and quantity. Photographing is allowed except for the items of special exhibitions.

Enjoying Ueno Park in every season

If at all possible, it would be nice to plan your visit to the zoo or museums of art and history according to the seasonal views of the park. Ueno Park is always covered by the Japanese media during the cherry blossoms season from late March to early April. The 800 cherry blossom trees that line both sides of the park’s path are simply wonderful; you can never get tired of a view like this. On holidays when the flowers are in full bloom, the park is visited by one million people daily. A picnic party under a cherry blossom tree is always a great fun. From mid-July to mid-August, the Shinobazu pond (Shinobazu-no-ike) will delight you with its beautiful lotus flowers. The huge lotus leaves with a diameter of at least 50cm cover the pond; a magnificent and cooling view. From mid-November, the leaves in the park begin to color; the park features ginkgo trees that line a path as well as keyaki (Japanese zelkova) and maple trees. In September, the Minarukane Grand Festival is held annually at the Bentendo temple built in the middle of the Shinobazu pond. It is said that if you receive an oval shaped gold coin called “Minarukane,” which can only be obtained during this festival, and keep it in your wallet, you will never be poor. From mid-January to mid-February winter tree peonies bloom at the grounds of Ueno Toshogu shrine. The grounds with 600 trees of about 40 kinds of tree peonies are opened to the public. Next to the Ueno Park is the first hot springs inn built in Tokyo, the Suigetsu Hotel Ohgaisou; a great place to visit on a cold winter day.

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Access

From Ueno Station take the Park Exit which leads directly into Ueno Park.

From Shinjuku Station to Ueno Station:
Take the Yamanote Line direct to Ueno Station (26 minutes, ¥200)

From Tokyo Station to Ueno Station:
Take the Yamanote Line direct to Ueno Station (9 minutes, ¥160)

Plan your trip to tokyo

Chat with a local tour guide who can help organize your trip.

Request a Tour

Reviews

7 years ago
Sakura at its finest
When I visited Tokyo for the first time 4 years ago, I visited Ueno Park in the summer and remember it to be a very big and lively park. The Shinobazu pond definitely a very impressive sight with all its lotus flowers and the widespread view. Last spring I again, visited Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms bloom, I heard Ueno Park is the best place for this because over a 1000 Cherry Blossom trees are planted here! During the day you can see many families and friends picnicking under all of the trees, which overcrowded the park a bit. At night the park is lit up and the trees just look magical. Definitely a recommendation for a date!
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7 years ago
Great for all ages and groups!
Ueno park is very very beautiful during Sakura season, and can get crowded, however It is also great to hang out with friends or family! And as with all Japanese parks is very clean and well taken care of!
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8 years ago
Beautiful lake and nature, but too noisy.
The nature in Ueno Park is lovely and it's pleasant to take a rest on a bench next to the lake. But unfortunately there is a lot of traffic around the park, which disturbs the quiet aura. It is still a good place to read a book or relax, but there are better ones in Tokyo.
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8 years ago
Great for dates
Going here was one of my most memorable moments of staying in Tokyo Feb/March. I went here with a lady friend of mine, she wanted to just walk around Ueno Park and during the time the cherry blossoms are at their peak. At night the lights from the shrine shine just enough to get that good lighting bouncing off the shimmering water. I wish the duck boats were operational at night, that would have been a good date move. When I was there even in the rain there was something soothing about being there. I'm that guy who hates the rain even being from Seattle Wa home of rain, but here walking it, it just clears your mind, the trees were beginning to sprout white and pink cherry blossoms. It felt like I had been using some sort of dream filter for my eyes, it was captivating, something I'll never forget. Went to sweets paradise for some all you can eat sweets and paste...worth it. Thank you [insert lady friends name here] for showing and giving me this memory.
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8 years ago
Great park for a stroll and recreation
Ueno Park is home to numerous museums, temples, statues, art galleries, and a concert hall. As I wander through the park for the first time, I hear a crowd in the distance and decide to see what’s happening. Deeper into the park I walk, until I find the source of the noise; a baseball field. Baseball is a very popular sport in Japan, and a crowd of about forty people gather here to watch what is probably some amateurs practicing. After watching for about ten minutes, I decide to check out the Shinto shrine, Tōshō-gū to learn a little about Japanese history. I continue my walk, enjoying a pond, a statue of a frog, and a wander around Ueno Zoo where Giant pandas can be observed through very reflective glass. All in all, Ueno Park has a lot to offer, and hosts numerous events and festivals all year round. In spring, it becomes a popular spot to visit and enjoy cherry blossom viewing, and in winter, projection mapping and winter illuminations can be seen all around the park.
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