With its parks, museums and ancient shrines, Ueno could be considered Japan's cultural center. During the cherry blossom season, Ueno is crowded with people gathering for outdoor hanami parties.
Located in a northern part of the Ueno Park, the Tokyo National Museum was established in 1817 to display oriental arts and archeological remains. Out of approximately 100,000 pieces of collections housed in the museum, some 2,500 selected pieces are put on display in the museum. The museum consists of three main buildings and each building features different theme: the Honkan Building features Japanese arts collected from as old as 10,000 B.C. to the 1800 A.D., the Toyokan Building opened in 1968 features Asian arts from the East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, to the Middle East, and the Heiseikan Building opened in 1993 features Japanese archeology and also hosts special exhibitions. The Honkan Building (main building that is an Important Cultural Property) located in the central area of the museum originally designed by a British architect was heavily damaged due to the major earthquake in 1923, and a reconstructed building designed by a Japanese architect, Watanabe Jin was completed in 1938. Several other buildings can be found on the grounds, including galleries, teahouses in the garden behind the Honkan Building, and a research center.
Address: 13-9, Ueno koen, Daito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-5777-8600 Access: 10 mins from Ueno or Uguisudani Sta. on JR Line 15 mins from Ueno Sta. on Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line 15 mins from Nezu Sta. on Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line 15 mins from Keisei Ueno Sta. on Keisei Line Open Hours: 9:30 - 17:00 (the last admission at 16:30) Admission Fee: Adults: 420 yen, University Students: 130 yen, High/Junior High/Elementary School Students and under: Free
National Science Museum, established in 1877, consists of two main buildings and an exhibition area outside. The Main Building features the evolution of life, the solar system, and native plants and animals in Japan, and the New Building features life on earth and exhibits a wide variety of animals, dinosaurs, and other inhabitants along with their environment. The exhibits cover a long history of relationship between living things and environment on the Earth and express the importance of protecting environment. About 10,000 items are selected from some 3,000,000 collections to be exhibited. The museum collects, preserves, and exhibits the materials and items related to natural science (living things, history, nature, and astronomy) and its application. For this purpose, the museum also provides research and educational facilities. The Main Building is currently closed for restoration. Large objects, a blue whale, a rocket, and a steam locomotive can be found outside the buildings.
Address: 7-20, Ueno koen, Daito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3822-0111 Access: 5 mins walk from JR Ueno Sta. 10 mins walk from Ueno Sta. on Ginza, Hibiya, and Keisei Lines Open Hours: 9:00-17:00 (last admissions 16:30),Friday: 9:00-20:00 (last admission 19:30), Closed on Mondays Admission Fee: Adults and college students : 500 yen Children and youth in grades 1-12: Free URL: http://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/
Located in the Ueno Park near the Ueno Station, Ueno Zoo is well known as Japan's first zoological garden opened in 1882. The zoo has been a popular spot for families, especially for children. The most famous and popular attractions at the zoo are the panda bears. Over three decades have passed since the first panda bears were brought from China as a gift, with their distinctive features and cute looks, the panda bears continue to have all the attention to themselves and in front of the cage are always crowded with visitors. The Ueno zoo is also home to many other animals, and among more than 2600 animals from 460 species in the park, tigers in the "tiger forest" and gorillas in the "gorilla woods" are also attracting many visitors. The Children's Zoo can be found near the Shinoazu Pond, where you can also find the Vivarium opened in 1999.
Address: 9-83 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3828-5171 Access: 5 mins walk from Ueno Sta. on the JR Line, Ueno Sta. on the Keisei Line 5 mins walk from Nezu Sta. on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line 10 mins walk from Ueno-okachimachi Sta. on Subway Oedo Line Open Hours: 9:30-17:00 (No entry after 16:00 for each zoo), closed on Mondays Admission Fee: Adults: 600 yen, Jr. High school students: 200 yen, over 65 years old: 300 yen URL: http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/index.html
Ueno Toshogu located in the Ueno Park is one of some 200 Toshogu shrines built throughout Japan during the Edo Period and all of which enshrines the founder of the Tokugawa or Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu as a deity. The Ueno Toshogu shrine was originally established in 1627 by one of the feudal lord, Todo Takatora and was reconstructed in 1651 by the third Tokugwa Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu. The shrine amazingly survived through fires, earthquakes, and air raids, which burned many buildings in Tokyo. You can see the main hall called Konjikido decorated with golden leaf, a large stone-made front gate designed in the Chinese style called Karamon, numerous stone made lanterns that were gifts given from feudal lords to Tokugawa shoguns as their symbols of loyalty. The structures in the precinct preserved from the Edo Period have been designated National Treasures since 1907. The shrine has also been a Tokyo municipal shrine since 1873.
Address: 9-88 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3822-3455 Access: 10 mins walk from JR Ueno Sta. Admission Fee: Adult: 200 yen Child: 100 yen
Ameya-yokocho, commonly known as Ameyoko in short, is a market place developed near the train tracks for Yamanote line between Ueno and Okachimachi station. This place originated as a flea market right after the World War II developed into today's shopping arcade where more than 500 small shops are offering you a wide-range of goods from small snacks to imports at reasonable prices. Ameyoko's "Ame" is said to mean "America" since many products from the United States could be found on the black market. At the market, you can find almost everything you want. Ameyoko has also grown into an international market and you can find some interesting imported groceries from southeast and south Asia as well as from Africa at the food market on the basement floor of Ameyoko Center building. The place becomes further crowded with people come to hunt the special sales at the end of year.
Tel: 03-3832-5053 Access: 2 mins walk from Ueno Sta. on JR Line, subway Ginza and Hibiya Line, or Keisei Line, from Okachimachi Sta. on JR Line, or from Ueno-Okachimachi on the Oedo Line
A large park located near the Ueno Station opened in 1873, is home to a variety of museums: the Tokyo National Museum, the Orient Museum, the National Science Museum, the Shitamachi Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Fine Art Gallery. In the south side, there's a statue of Saigo Takamori, who took an important role during the Meiji Restoration. Japan's first zoological garden, the Ueno Zoo was established in the park in 1982, and it has been one of the most famous and popular attractions in the park ever since it welcomed the first panda bears brought from China as a gift. In the middle of the Shinobazu Pond, is an island with a temple dedicated to Benten, and the Toshogu Shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu is also situated in the park. The nature including greeneries is well preserved and 1,000 of cherry blossom trees attract many who love to come for cherry blossom viewing in spring.
Address: Ueno Koen, Daito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3828-5644 Access: 2 mins. walk from Keisei Ueno Sta., 2 mins. walk from Ueno Sta. on JR and Subway Ginza Line
The museum was established to specialize in western art by displaying the Matsukata Collections that were collected by Kojiro Matsukata during the early 20th centuries. Many of his collections were once taken over by the French government after the World War II; however, they were returned to Japan in 1959 and the first and main building of this museum designed by French architect, Le Corbusier was built to house the collections. Le Corbusier's student, Kunio Maesaka later added the extensions to the main building in 1979. Today, the main building displays paintings from pre-18th century, many of which are religious, and the extended building displays paintings from 19th to 20th centuries, which include works of many impressionists including Monet and Van Gogh. More recent artworks including works by Picasso, Miro, and Pollock can be found in the gallery. The museum is also home to Rodin's sculptures. Besides the art galleries, there are a caf衫 a museum shop, and a research library housed in the museum. The library is open to public but an appointment is necessary.
Address: 7-7 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3828-5131 Access: 1 min. walk from JR Ueno Sta. 7 min. walk from Keisei Line, Ueno Sta. 8 min. walk from Ginza line/Hibiya line, Ueno Sta. Open Hours: Normally 9:30-17:30(see URL for detail), Closed on Mon. and Dec.28-Jan.1 Admission Fee: Adults: 420 yen College Students: 130 yen High school students: 70 yen Junior high students or younger/Seniors: Free URL: http://www.nmwa.go.jp/
Established in 1926, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is the place where you can find a variety of exhibits from oil paintings and traditional Japanese paintings to sculptures, pottery, and calligraphy. In 1975 the museum was renovated based on Maekawa Kunio's design. There are a total of six galleries in the museum: five galleries to be rent out to exhibit cotemporary artworks or to be used for special events and one gallery on the first floor to exhibit the museum's selected pieces from a collection of more than 2500 pieces including both Japanese and Occidental artworks. The special exhibitions are mostly held by the institutes and organizations specialized in contemporary arts and the exhibits in the museum gallery changes periodically. The art library inside of the museum is open to public, and art related lectures and activities are also offered at the museum. You can also take a break at the restaurant on the first floor and find various art related goods at the museum shop.
Address: 8-36 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-3823-6921 Access: short walk from Ueno Sta. on of JR or Subway Ginza Line or Hibiya Line Open Hours: 9:00 -17:00 (last entry 16:30) Admission Fee: varies according to each exhibition URL: http://www.tobikan.jp/
Sightseeing Spots in Ueno(Tokyo)
