Ueno Koen (park) is one of the largest parks and outdoor walking areas in the city of Tokyo. Year-round it serves as a fantastic escape from the tall buildings and city surroundings and provides hikers, walkers and runners with a great place to go. Tourists often flock to Ueno in spring for its fantastic Cherry Blossom viewing (although it is ridiculously crowded at this time, so be warned), in the fall for foliage, and year-round for a trip to the zoo located in the center of the park or to the many wonderful museums and art galleries that have been built around the circumference of the park. The zoo, known as Ueno Zoo, is a wonderful day trip and only costs $6 USD (600 JPY) for adults, and the museums are truly unique and wonderful visits as well. If you want to see certain things in Ueno and only have a day or so to be there, I suggest going to websites and trying to plan out your day based on which attractions you would like to see the most.
The history of the area is steeped in change. In 1868, Ueno Hill was the site of the last stand of the Tokugawa Shogunate. 2,000 or so Tokugawa loyalist samurai tried to stop the new government from taking control, but were ultimately defeated.
The Tokyo National Museum (Japan's oldest museum) was founded in Ueno Koen in 1872 and holds over 110,000 artifacts that are rotated through exhibits periodically.
In March of 1872, the National Museum of Nature and Science (then known as the Ministry of Education Museum) was planned and founded. All specimens and exhibits were destroyed in the Great Kanto Quake of 1923, but the museum was able to relocate to a new site in Ueno, rebuild and reopen in 1930. It is still open in the same place in Ueno today and houses simply fantastic and stunning
exhibitions year-round.
In 1882, Ueno Zoo was opened and today maintains its goal of educating patrons not only about animals from all over Japan, but from all over the world as well. It's a fantastic day trip and the walking paths to get to the zoo are filled with wonderful sights and sounds to take in as well. You can see street performers in the center of the park on weekends, or you can walk through temples and shrines that dot the landscape. We took in a few and wanted to share some pictures with you and videos from our trip through the park and the zoo.
Enjoy!
Above: Shrine to those who passed in the Battle of Ueno Hill.
Kiyomizu Kannon Do, Buddhist Temple established in 1631 by Tenkai Sojo (high Buddhist Priest).
Bad luck lately? Write it on a piece of paper, tie it to this rope, and wish it away!
Wish for good luck in the year to come on a woodblock here in the temple.
Messages were from all over the world and written in many languages!
The water spout is an ornate dragon. Here you would fill the cup with water, rinse your hands and mouth, and purify yourself before going up to the temple for blessings.
Leaving the Temple.
Pathway to a Shinto Shrine dedicated to the Fox Trickster spirit.
These Tori mark the entrance.
Some are in need of repair!
The trickster himself.
Ueno zoo entrance is marked by this neat totem poll with many animals figures on it.
The entrance doesn't look like much but it really is a fantastic zoo.
Here's some video of a red panda!!!
This Thai Pavilion inside the zoo was a gift from the Thai government symbolizing years of good relations between the two countries.
Looked stunning on the inside!
Brian touching bamboo for the first time.
Video of a cool Sumatran Tiger 'noming on a stick.
Oh Brian. lol.
Gorilla munchin' on something.
Cabbage
I think this Polar Bear believes that hoomans smell delicious. hehe.
Another neat building in the zoo.
Anteater.
Meercat.
Bush Babies.
Crocodiles.
Mandarin Ducks.
For the kids, there are a bunch of rides, including this cute Pikachu here.
Once you leave the park (to the right of the metro station) you'll see lots of shopping, restaurants, and the famous Ameyoko Arcade which is a shopping street known for it's delicious sweets and unique gifts. It's usually packed tight in there with people bargaining and especially right now since it is around New Years! Definitely worth a stop and try some Japanese sweets if you haven't already.
Ueno also has a fair amount of Nabe places. Nabe is a kind of hotpot dinner where you cook a bunch of food in a sweet sauce over a hotplate. It's sort of traditional and usually expensive so watch out when you are going out for Nabe because you will be charged PER PERSON and often receive a table fee as well. Definitely delicious though and worth the price if you've saved up or found a place running a good deal. These wax food molds look so real that I have to say I'm usually very tempted to go in and splurge!
Before leaving for the day we took a few minutes to enjoy the seasonal lighting that is still up around the park. There are even cute animal light displays like this one here!
Hope you enjoyed the photos and video!
Please feel free to leave comments. Thanks!
Lady Jones
) and Nekkobasu (Cat-bus also from 
(also from Final Fantasy) and I was psyched to get one.
