# Ueno Park, Tokyo > Ueno is one of Japan's first public parks, founded in 1873, right by JR Ueno station. It has a cherry-tree avenue, Shinobazu Pond with boats, Toshogu shrine, Tokyo's major museums and the country's oldest zoo. Entry to the park is free; the zoo costs ¥600 and is closed on Mondays. In spring people come for hanami. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ueno-park - City: [Tokyo](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo), Japan - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: park free; zoo ¥600 - Opening hours: Park 5:00–23:00; zoo 9:30–17:00, last entry 16:00, closed Mon - With kids: Fine with kids - Park entry: Free - Ueno Zoo: ¥600; over-65s ¥300; junior high ¥200; younger free - Zoo hours: 9:30–17:00, last entry 16:00; closed Mon - Museums: National, Western Art, Nature and Science — paid - Cherry blossom: Usually late March to early April - From Ueno station: 1–2 minutes from the Park exit - Coordinates: 35.71222, 139.77111 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1873** — founding year — one of Japan's first public parks (source: en.wikipedia) - **> 10 million** — visitors a year — the country's most popular city park (source: en.wikipedia) - **Kan'ei-ji** — the park stands on land of this temple, founded in 1625 (source: en.wikipedia) - **1631** — the year Kiyomizu Kannon-do was built (source: en.wikipedia) - **Shinobazu** — a pond with lotuses, boats and Bentendo temple (source: en.wikipedia) - **Le Corbusier** — architect of the National Museum of Western Art — a UNESCO site (source: en.wikipedia) - **Oldest** — zoo in Japan — Ueno Zoo (source: en.wikipedia) - **¥600** — adult zoo entry (source: guides) ## What is Ueno Park? **Ueno Park** is a large public park in **Taito**, by JR Ueno station. It was founded in **1873** on land belonging to **Kan'ei-ji** temple and became one of Japan's first public parks. Today it's the country's most popular city park, with more than 10 million visitors a year. It has everything at once: a long **cherry-tree avenue**, **Shinobazu Pond** with lotuses and boats, historic shrines and temples, several of Tokyo's biggest **museums** and **Ueno Zoo**, the oldest in Japan. In spring the park is the top spot for **hanami**, cherry-blossom viewing. > **What's free and what isn't** Walking around the park, to the pond and the shrines is free. You pay for the zoo (according to guides, ¥600 for adults, closed on Mondays) and the museums, each with its own hours and closing days — many also close on Mondays. In cherry-blossom season the avenue is packed: picnic spots under the trees are claimed in the morning, and you're expected to take your rubbish home. ## How the park works From the **Park** exit of Ueno station you come straight out onto a plaza with a fountain. Around it are the **Tokyo National Museum**, the **National Museum of Western Art** in Le Corbusier's building, the Museum of Nature and Science and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. Further west are the **zoo**, **Toshogu** shrine with its gilded details and **Kiyomizu Kannon-do** temple from 1631. The southern part slopes down to **Shinobazu Pond**: in summer it's covered in lotuses, swan boats paddle across it, and a temple to the goddess Benten stands on its island. The cherry avenue runs through the middle of the park. The gate by Shinobazu leads to **Ameyoko** market. ## What to see - **The cherry avenue** — hanami in spring. - **Shinobazu Pond** with lotuses, boats and Bentendo temple. - **Toshogu shrine** with its gilded details. - **Kiyomizu Kannon-do** — a temple on the hillside. - **Museums** — National, Western Art, Nature and Science. - **Ueno Zoo** — the oldest in Japan. ## How to get to Ueno Park 1. **JR Ueno station** (Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku and more) — Park exit, 1–2 minutes. 2. **Ueno metro** (Ginza and Hibiya lines) — a few minutes on foot. 3. **Keisei-Ueno station** — for trains from Narita airport, at the park's southern edge. 4. **From Narita airport** — Keisei Skyliner to Keisei-Ueno, about 45 minutes. 5. **From Akihabara** — 2 stops by JR or about 20 minutes on foot. ## Cherry blossom or lotuses | | Spring | Summer | | --- | --- | --- | | Highlight | The cherry avenue | Lotuses on Shinobazu Pond | | Crowds | Very heavy | Moderate | | When | Late March to early April | July–August | | Tip | Arrive early in the morning | Mornings, before the heat | ## How long do you need? Allow **1.5 hours** for a walk round the park, half a day with one museum or the zoo, and a full day with several museums. Start at Ueno station, walk down to the pond and come out at **Ameyoko** market. North of the park, 15 minutes on foot, is the old **Yanaka** neighbourhood. In the evening, **Akihabara** is two stops away by JR. ## Is Ueno Park worth visiting? Yes: nature, history and Tokyo's best museums in one place, and the park is free to enter. The YesGo take: the park is big and you can't do it all in a day. Pick one or two museums or the zoo, avoid Mondays when much is closed, and stop by Shinobazu Pond — the calmest part of the park. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not a Monday — the zoo and museums are open - [ ] One or two museums chosen - [ ] Zoo ticket — ¥600 - [ ] A bag for picnic rubbish - [ ] Ameyoko or Yanaka next on the route ## Tokyo parks and gardens: compare and choose Parks, gardens and historic sites in Tokyo rated by YesGo. - [Tokyo Imperial Palace](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-imperial-palace) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · free - [Hamarikyu Gardens](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/hamarikyu-gardens) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥300; over-65s ¥150 ## Ueno in a day The Tokyo National Museum in the morning, a walk round Ueno Park in the afternoon, and Ameyoko market towards evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Tokyo National Museum](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-national-museum) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥1,000; students ¥500 2. [Ueno Park](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ueno-park) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · park free; zoo ¥600 3. [Ameyoko](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ameyoko) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free ## Good to know Ueno Park is not Yoyogi Park by Harajuku, nor Shinjuku Gyoen. The Tokyo National Museum stands in the park but needs a separate ticket. ## Tips - Much is closed on Mondays. - For hanami, spots are claimed in the morning. - In summer — lotuses on Shinobazu. - Take your rubbish home. - To the south: [Ameyoko market](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ameyoko). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Ueno Park? The park is free; the zoo and museums charge. ### How much is Ueno Zoo? According to guides, ¥600 for adults, ¥300 for over-65s, ¥200 for junior high students, younger free. ### When is the zoo closed? On Mondays (if a holiday, the next day). ### Which museums are in the park? The Tokyo National Museum, Western Art, Nature and Science, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. ### When do the cherry trees bloom? Usually late March to early April. ### How do I get there? JR Ueno station, Park exit — 1–2 minutes. ### How long do you need? 1.5 hours for a walk, half a day with a museum or the zoo. ### What's nearby? Ameyoko market, Yanaka and Akihabara. ## How we checked The founding year, land history, temples and museums, and visitor numbers are from Wikipedia; we leave out the hill's earlier history. Zoo prices, hours and closing day are from guides (data as of April 2026), as the zoo's official site wouldn't load by script; we mark them unconfirmed. Park hours of 5:00–23:00 are from guides. We don't list the zoo's animals by name: they change. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Ueno Park — founding year, land history, temples, museums, visitor numbers - Guides (Have a Good Holiday, Truly Tokyo, LIVE JAPAN and others) — zoo prices and hours, closing days (unofficial) - Official park and zoo sites — wouldn't load by script; to be checked by hand - Wikidata Q746216 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.