Ueno Park, Tokyo: A Guide to the Park Itself

Ueno Park at a Glance

Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Koen) is a large public park in northeast central Tokyo, free to enter and open from 5:00 to 23:00, with temples, shrines, a lotus pond, Japan's oldest zoo and five major museums inside it. It covers about 54 hectares, starts right outside JR Ueno Station, and is one of the most visited parks in the country, above all in cherry blossom season.

Fact	Detail
Entry	Free, you pay only for the zoo, museums, boats and some shrine areas
Hours	5:00 to 23:00 every day, no entry at night
Size	About 54 hectares
Opened	19 October 1873, one of Japan's first public parks
Nearest station	JR Ueno (Park Exit) 2 minutes, Keisei Ueno 1 minute
Time needed	1 to 2 hours for the park, a full day with the zoo and a museum

Below are the park's pond, shrines, statues, seasons and cafés. For the whole Ueno area, including Ameyoko market and a one-day plan, see our guide to things to do in Ueno.

A Short History of Ueno Park

Ueno Park was a temple before it was a park. In the Edo period, almost the whole hill belonged to Kan'eiji, the great temple founded in 1625 to guard Edo Castle from the northeast, and the burial place of several Tokugawa shoguns.

In 1868, in the Battle of Ueno, the forces of the new Meiji government fought shogunate loyalists on the hill, and most of the temple burned. The government planned to build a hospital on the empty land, but a Dutch army doctor, Anthonius Bauduin, urged it to keep the hill as a park.

On 19 October 1873, Ueno became one of the first places in Japan designated as a public park, together with Shiba, Asakusa, Fukagawa and Asukayama.

In 1924 the Imperial Household gave the park to the City of Tokyo, which is where the word "Onshi" (an imperial gift) in its full name comes from. A statue of Dr. Bauduin stands in the park today, and in 2023 the park celebrated its 150th year.

Kan'eiji still stands on the north side. See our Kan'eiji Temple guide.

Shinobazu Pond, Lotus, Bentendo and Swan Boats

At Shinobazu Pond, in the southwest corner of the park, you can rent a swan boat, watch the ducks and cormorants, and walk out to a temple on an island. The pond is divided into a lotus pond, a boat pond and a section that belongs to the zoo.

The boat house rents three kinds of boat, at these prices per 30 minutes in October 2026.

Boat	Capacity	Price per 30 min
Rowing boat	Up to 3 adults	¥800
Cycle (pedal) boat	2 adults and 1 child	¥1,000
Swan boat	2 adults and 1 child	¥1,000

Boats run 9:30 to 17:20 in October and March (last rental 16:20), 9:30 to 16:50 from November to February (last rental 15:50), and 10:00 to 17:50 from April to September (last rental 16:50), with longer hours in mid-August. They are closed on Wednesdays from December to February.

A family of four with two young children will need two boats, or one parent on the shore taking photos.

The lotus pond is at its best in late July, when the leaves cover the water and the flowers open in the morning. In the middle of the pond is Bentendo, an eight-sided hall to the goddess Benzaiten, reached by a causeway.

The original hall burned in the war, and the current one dates from 1958.

Temples and Shrines in Ueno Park

Ueno Park has more religious buildings than any other Tokyo park, because it grew out of a temple. Most are free to visit. They are active places of worship, so walk quietly and follow the signs on photography.

Ueno Toshogu Shrine

Built in 1627 and rebuilt in its current form by the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, Toshogu enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu. The gold-leaf gate and halls survived earthquakes and the war.

The outer grounds are free, while the area inside the wall costs ¥700 for adults and ¥300 for children aged 6 to 12, and under-6s go in free.

Kiyomizu Kannon-do

This hall, built in 1631, is modelled on Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, with a small wooden stage on the front. From the stage you look down over Shinobazu Pond, which was the point of building it here.

Gojo Tenjin Shrine and Hanazono Inari

On the slope above the pond, these two small shrines sit side by side. Hanazono Inari is reached through a short tunnel of red torii gates, a quiet corner that many visitors miss.

The Ueno Daibutsu

A great Buddha was first set up on this small hill in 1631, but earthquakes and fires destroyed it several times, and today only its face remains, set into a wall, with a pagoda built in the hope of restoring it.

Statues and Landmarks to Look For

Look for these three free landmarks on a walk through the park.

1. The Saigo Takamori statue stands near the south entrance. Saigo was a leader of the Meiji Restoration who agreed the peaceful surrender of Edo Castle. The bronze, by Takamura Koun, was unveiled in 1898 and shows him in a simple kimono, walking his dog, Tsun. It is the park's best-known meeting point.
2. The frog fountain stands at Hakamagoshi Square, by the entrance nearest Shinobazu Pond. Small children like it, and it is lit up at night.
3. The Fountain Plaza (Takenodai Square) lies in the middle of the park, in front of the Tokyo National Museum, where the main hall of Kan'eiji once stood. It is the widest open space in the park and the best place to let children run.

Ueno Park with Kids

Ueno Park is one of the easiest places in Tokyo to spend a day with small children. The main paths are wide, flat and paved, and the only real hill is the slope down to Shinobazu Pond.

• Where to run. The Fountain Plaza and the wide avenue to the south are open and safe. Catch-ball is not allowed, because of the crowds.
• What they enjoy most. Children usually head for the swan boats, the zoo, the frog fountain, the ducks on the pond, and the dinosaurs at the science museum.
• Free for children. Ueno Zoo is free up to the end of primary school, and the national museums are free for under-18s. See our Ueno Zoo guide and our National Museum of Nature and Science guide.
• Toilets and baby rooms. There are toilets throughout the park. For nursing rooms and changing tables, the zoo and the museums have the best facilities.
• Mondays. The zoo and most museums close, but the park, the pond and the shrines stay open.

For other places that work at a child's pace, see our guide to things to do in Tokyo with kids.

Museums and the Zoo Inside the Park

Ueno Park holds Japan's densest group of museums, all within ten minutes' walk of each other, plus the zoo. Pick one or two, because nobody sees them all in a day.

• Ueno Zoo. Japan's oldest zoo opened in 1882 and has an East Garden and a West Garden. The giant pandas returned to China in January 2026. See our Ueno Zoo guide.
• Tokyo National Museum. It covers Japanese art and history, from samurai armour to ancient pottery. See our Tokyo National Museum guide.
• National Museum of Nature and Science. It has dinosaurs, space exhibits and a hands-on gallery for young children.
• National Museum of Western Art. It shows European paintings in a building by Le Corbusier that is a World Heritage Site.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the Ueno Royal Museum. Both hold changing exhibitions, with separate tickets.

Most of them close on Mondays, so do not save Ueno for a Monday.

Cherry Blossoms in Ueno Park

Ueno Park has about 1,200 cherry trees and is Tokyo's best-known place to see the blossoms. Because the trees include early varieties as well as the familiar Somei-yoshino, there is something in bloom for about two months, from the early winter cherries to the main bloom.

The Somei-yoshino, which line the main avenue, usually peak in late March or early April. During the peak the avenue is hung with lanterns and fills with picnic groups on blue sheets, and on weekends it can be hard to move with a stroller.

The park sets rules for picnics each spring, so check the park's notices before you go.

With children, go early on a weekday morning, walk the avenue before 9:00, and then go into the zoo or a museum when the crowds arrive. The pond side, with its weeping cherries, is usually calmer than the main avenue.

Ueno Park by Season

Each season brings something different to the park.

Season	What to see	Note
Spring	Cherry blossoms, peony garden at Toshogu (mid-April to mid-May)	Busiest time of year
Summer	Lotus flowers on Shinobazu Pond, best in late July	Hot, use the museums to cool down
Autumn	Ginkgo and autumn leaves along the avenues	Comfortable for walking
Winter	Winter peonies at Toshogu (New Year to mid-February)	Quietest, boats closed on Wednesdays

The peony garden at Toshogu costs ¥700 to enter, or ¥1,100 for adults combined with the inner shrine.

Food and Cafés in Ueno Park

Two cafés sit in the middle of the park, on the Fountain Plaza, and both work well with children.

• Starbucks Ueno Onshi Park, open 8:00 to 21:00 every day, in a glass building by the fountain.
• EVERYONEs CAFE, a café-restaurant with a large terrace, open 10:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 at weekends.
• PARKS Ueno, the souvenir shop by the Park Exit, sells panda goods and Tokyo snacks.

For a cheaper and livelier lunch, walk 5 minutes south to the food stalls of Ameyoko market. See our Ameyoko guide.

How to Get to Ueno Park

Take the train to Ueno Station and leave by the Park Exit (Koen-guchi) of JR Ueno Station. The park begins across the road, two minutes' walk away, next to the museums and the zoo.

• JR Ueno Station. The Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku, Utsunomiya, Takasaki and Joban lines and the Shinkansen stop here, 2 minutes from the Park Exit.
• Tokyo Metro Ueno Station. The Ginza and Hibiya lines stop here, 2 minutes away.
• Keisei Ueno Station. Keisei lines, including the Skyliner from Narita Airport, arrive 1 minute from the south entrance.
• From the north. Nezu Station on the Chiyoda Line is the best way in for Yanaka. See our Yanaka and Nezu guide.

If you would like a day in Ueno planned around your family, from the zoo's opening time to the swan boats and a lunch that suits everyone, we can build it into a custom private tour or our private Tokyo tour with kids. You can also see all our tours in Tokyo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ueno Park free?

Yes. Ueno Park is free and open from 5:00 to 23:00. You pay only for the zoo, the museums, the boats on Shinobazu Pond and the inner area of Ueno Toshogu Shrine.

How much are the swan boats at Ueno Park?

Swan boats and pedal boats cost ¥1,000 per 30 minutes for up to two adults and one child. Rowing boats cost ¥800 per 30 minutes for up to three adults.

When is the best time to see cherry blossoms in Ueno Park?

The main Somei-yoshino bloom usually peaks in late March or early April. Early varieties flower weeks before, so something is in bloom for about two months.

How long do you need at Ueno Park?

Allow one to two hours for the park, the pond and the shrines, and add two to four hours for the zoo or a museum.

What is Ueno Park famous for?

It is known for its cherry blossoms, Shinobazu Pond and its swan boats, Ueno Zoo, the Tokyo National Museum and other museums, and the Saigo Takamori statue.

Is Ueno Park open at night?

The park is open from 5:00 to 23:00, with no entry outside those hours. The zoo, museums and boats close in the late afternoon. The cafés stay open until 21:00.

Sources

https://www.kensetsu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/jimusho/toubuk/ueno/kouenannai
https://www.kensetsu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/jimusho/toubuk/ueno/midokoro
https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/ueno/
https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/ueno/facility/
https://www.uenotoshogu.com/en/
https://www.tokyo-zoo.net/ueno/visitor-info/tickets/index.html