Ueno Park
Ueno Park is a large public park in Tokyo’s Ueno district. Famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring, the park is an extraordinary location where natural beauty is combined with a wealth of cultural and recreational facilities, historic sites, and monuments. Read more
Ueno Zoo
Ueno Zoo is the oldest zoo in Japan and one of Ueno’s biggest attractions. The zoo began as a collection of wild animals attached to the National Museum of Natural History and was first opened as a public zoo on March 20th 1882. Since those early days the zoo has expanded greatly and is now home to over 3,000 animals from 400 different species. Ueno Zoo today is a modern establishment that is active in wildlife conservation efforts and tries to house the animals in enclosures that resemble their natural environment. Read more
Kaneiji Temple
Kaneiji is a Buddhist temple in a quiet residential area on the north side of Ueno Park which was once one of the most powerful and wealthy temples in Japan. Previously a massive temple complex with over 30 buildings, the modern Kaneiji Temple is much reduced in size from its historical peak when the temple grounds covered all of the area now occupied by Ueno Park and JR Ueno Station. Read more
The National Museum of Nature & Science
The National Museum of Nature & Science is a museum of technology and natural history which is located in the north-east corner of Ueno Park. The museum has outstanding facilities which provide a comprehensive guide to the history of life on earth and to the history of science and technology. Read more
Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo National Museum is a major museum in Ueno Park which conserves and exhibits Japan’s most significant collection of art and antiquities. These include paintings, calligraphy, sculptures, ceramics, lacquerware, Buddhist treasures, and archaeological artifacts both from Japan and other Asian countries. Read more
The Shitamachi Museum – A Taste of Downtown Culture in Ueno Park
The Shitamachi Museum is dedicated to the culture and history of Tokyo’s downtown district, which is called Shitamachi in Japanese. This is a friendly museum which appears relatively small on the outside, but which inside is packed with such accurate and detailed recreations of historical streetscapes and living spaces that you may feel like you have travelled back in time. Read more
The National Museum of Western Art
The National Museum of Western Art (NMWA) is a museum in Ueno Park with an outstanding permanent collection of artworks dating from the 14th to the 20th centuries. The museum also hosts at least three special exhibitions a year which often feature major works on loan from both private collections and public museums from around the world. Read more
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is a major contemporary art museum in Ueno Park with a rich and diverse schedule of special exhibitions and themed art shows. As an official institution of Tokyo Metropolis, the museum’s stated purpose is to promote art appreciation for the benefit of Tokyo residents. Read more
Ueno Royal Museum
Ueno Royal Museum is an art museum in Ueno Park which puts on regular special exhibitions in a wide variety of artistic genres. This museum has no permanent collection, but it does put on a constantly changing series of creatively-themed temporary exhibitions, and it occasionally hosts prestigious touring exhibitions from overseas. Read more
The University Art Museum
Tokyo University of the Arts (commonly called “Geidai” in Japanese) was established in 1949 when two schools, Tokyo Fine Arts School and Tokyo Music School, were brought together. The collection today has around 29,000 items which include many modern Japanese masterpieces and works by former teachers and students. Read more
Kuroda Memorial Hall
Kuroda Memorial Hall is a small art museum located just outside Ueno Park which exhibits the art of Western-style painter Kuroda Seiki (1866 – 1924). Technically this museum is a branch of the nearby Tokyo National Museum. However, the Kuroda Memorial Hall is located outside the Tokyo National Museum’s grounds, and it is also completely free to enter it and view the art inside. Read more
Shinobazu-no-ike Bentendo – An Island Temple in Ueno Park
Shinobazu-no-ike Bentendo is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten. The temple stands on an island in the middle of Shinobazu Pond which is located in the southern part of Ueno Park. Read more
Ueno Toshogu – A Golden Shrine & Peony Garden in Ueno Park
Ueno Toshogu is a 17th century Shinto shrine in Ueno Park. The golden buildings of the shrine are remarkable for having survived the Battle of Ueno in 1868, the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, and the Tokyo firebombing of 1945. This makes the shrine a rare example of early Edo era architecture in Tokyo, and several of its structures are officially designated as Important Cultural Properties. Read more
Yushima Tenmangu – An Ancient Shrine of Learning & Plum Blossom
Yushima Tenmangu is an ancient Shinto Shrine located close to Ueno Park. The shrine is dedicated to Tenjin the Shinto god of learning and many students pray here for success in their studies and exams. On the shrine’s grounds are a famous plum grove and a large statue of a cow which is believed to have healing powers. Read more
Jomyoin – The Temple of Jizo Statues
Jomyoin is a Buddhist temple located to the north of Ueno Park which is notable for having over 20,000 stone statues of Jizo, the patron deity of children and travelers. Statues of Jizo are common in Japan and can be seen in the grounds of many temples and often by the side of the road. However, Jomyoin Temple is unusual because you can see so many Jizo statues in one place. Read more
Marishiten Tokudaiji Temple
Marishiten Tokudaiji is a Nichiren Buddhist temple in Ueno. The temple stands on raised ground above Ameyoko street market, and because its entrance is on a side street it is easily missed. Steps lead up to the temple from street level, and at the top you can enjoy a gentle breeze and a peaceful space away from the busy crowds below. This is not a big temple, but it is very colorful, and there are some interesting statues on the temple grounds. Read more
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is a concert hall located inside Ueno Park. It was designed by the modernist architect Kunio Maekawa (1905 – 1986) and opened in 1961. This building is considered to be Maekawa’s most famous work. In the past Tokyo Bunka Kaikan has hosted performances by stars of classical music such as Leonard Bernstein, Maria Callas, and Herbert von Karajan, and it continues to host world-class musical performances to this day. Read more
The International Library of Children’s Literature
The International Library of Children’s Literature (ILCL) is the only national library which is dedicated to children’s literature. It is housed inside the former Imperial Library building in Ueno. This library was opened in 2002 as a branch of Japan’s National Diet Library and contains over 400,000 items of children’s literature from all over the world. Read more