A Full Day of Sightseeing, All in One Place
This large, pleasant park, just west of Ueno Station, was established with an Imperial land grant in 1924. Today, the park is enormously popular with Tokyoites, especially during the spring cherry blossom season. Like most urban parks, it has picnic spaces and walkways, and Shinobazu pond is an annual destination for thousands of migrating birds.
The park is home to a number of excellent museums, chief among them the Tokyo National Museum. The museum contains the world’s largest collection of Japanese art, as well as an excellent collection of Asian art, most of which rotates regularly. The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the National Museum of Western Art are also in the park. The latter, in particular, has a very good collection of western art housed in a building designed by Le Corbusier. Look for Rodin’s Gate of Hell outside the museum.
A life-sized sculpture of a blue whale signals your arrival at the National Science Museum, with a very well designed series of exhibits on natural history, science and technology. This will probably be a winner for any visitor with kids who are interested in science.
For a sense of the history of the streets surrounding the park, you can do no better than the Shitamachi Museum, devoted to preserving something of both the spirit and material culture of the old heart of Tokyo. All of the exhibits, more than 50,000 to date, have been donated by Shitamachi residents. Visitors are invited to slip off their shoes and explore recreations of Edo era shops before going upstairs to see the large collection of toys, tools, photographs and other holdings on the museum’s second floor.
Established in 1882, the Ueno Zoo is the oldest in Japan. It also has the best collection of animals. In recent years the zoo has put a lot of effort into modernizing, and is constantly improving both its exhibits and the quality of life for its animals. The zoo is very popular, and is crowded every weekend with families eager to see the pandas, gorillas, polar bears and other well-loved inhabitants. One interesting feature setting this zoo apart from any others is its five-story, 17th century pagoda, a remnant of the old Kanei-ji temple complex that once stood here.
There’s a lot to do in and around Ueno Park. Make sure it’s near the top of your list for places to see during your stay in Japan
The park is home to a number of excellent museums, chief among them the Tokyo National Museum. The museum contains the world’s largest collection of Japanese art, as well as an excellent collection of Asian art, most of which rotates regularly. The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the National Museum of Western Art are also in the park. The latter, in particular, has a very good collection of western art housed in a building designed by Le Corbusier. Look for Rodin’s Gate of Hell outside the museum.
A life-sized sculpture of a blue whale signals your arrival at the National Science Museum, with a very well designed series of exhibits on natural history, science and technology. This will probably be a winner for any visitor with kids who are interested in science.
For a sense of the history of the streets surrounding the park, you can do no better than the Shitamachi Museum, devoted to preserving something of both the spirit and material culture of the old heart of Tokyo. All of the exhibits, more than 50,000 to date, have been donated by Shitamachi residents. Visitors are invited to slip off their shoes and explore recreations of Edo era shops before going upstairs to see the large collection of toys, tools, photographs and other holdings on the museum’s second floor.
Established in 1882, the Ueno Zoo is the oldest in Japan. It also has the best collection of animals. In recent years the zoo has put a lot of effort into modernizing, and is constantly improving both its exhibits and the quality of life for its animals. The zoo is very popular, and is crowded every weekend with families eager to see the pandas, gorillas, polar bears and other well-loved inhabitants. One interesting feature setting this zoo apart from any others is its five-story, 17th century pagoda, a remnant of the old Kanei-ji temple complex that once stood here.
There’s a lot to do in and around Ueno Park. Make sure it’s near the top of your list for places to see during your stay in Japan
Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
5 minutes walk from Koen exit of JR Ueno station
Open Hours:
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 18:00 during Golden Week (holidays around May 3rd through 5th)
8/9～8/15: 9:30 - 20:00
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 18:00 during Golden Week (holidays around May 3rd through 5th)
8/9～8/15: 9:30 - 20:00
Adult: 600 yen
Junior high school student: 200 yen (Resident or student in Tokyo: Free)
Elementary school student or younger: free
Junior high school student: 200 yen (Resident or student in Tokyo: Free)
Elementary school student or younger: free
National Museum of Western Art : http://www.nmwa.go.jp/jp/index.html
Metropolitan Art Museum: http: //www.tobikan.jp/
Tokyo National Museum:http: //www.tnm.go.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=00
National Science Museum: http://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/
Metropolitan Art Museum: http: //www.tobikan.jp/
Tokyo National Museum:http: //www.tnm.go.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=00
National Science Museum: http://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/
