This article is based on a visit made on Friday, 4 April 2014.
By the end of my Japan holiday in the Spring of 2014, the cherry-blossom season had come into full bloom. Nowhere was this more apparent than in Ueno Park (上野公園,
Ueno Kōen), one of the most popular sakura spots in Tokyo.
The central avenue of the park is lined with over 1,000 cherry trees across a 450-metre (1,500-foot) stretch. Obviously it attracts a lot of hanami picnics, but the congestion of both those and the pedestrians is such that the hanami plots are roped off for separation, and should even be reserved as early in the morning as possible.
Garbage disposal is serious business in Japan. Not only are recyclables sorted by glass, plastic, paper, etc., but non-recyclable rubbish is also sorted according to burnable (もえる,
moeru) and non-burnable (もえない, moenai) trash.
Near the entrance stands this statue of the samurai
Saigo Takamori (西郷 隆盛,
Saigō Takamori, 1828-1877). He served in the Imperial army during the
Boshin War (1868-1869). One of the decisive battles of the war took place in Ueno, hence the presence of this statue of him. A few years afterwards, however, he led the
Satsuma Rebellion (1877) against the Imperial army in Kyushu, only to get himself killed in inconsistently-reported circumstances. Evidently, the people of Tokyo didn't hold that against him.
There are numerous shrines and temples waiting for you to find if you're willing to go not that far off the beaten path. This short row of torii gates led to one... and another... and another!
Shinobazu Pond (
不忍池) fills in the southern corner of Ueno Park. Situated in the middle of the pond is a small island, atop which stands Benten-do (弁天堂,
Bentendō), a temple hall honouring the Buddhist goddess
Benzaiten (弁才天), or Benten for short, hence the name. Benten, another of the
Seven Lucky Gods, serves as a goddess of wisdom, and evolved from the Hindu goddess
Saraswati.
Festival food stalls like to set up here during the sakura season, too. The Japanese sure like to eat things on sticks, from rice dumplings to Turkish kebabs to whole fish, seen here.
Sakura season notwithstanding, Ueno Park is perhaps best known for its many museums, the centrepiece being the Tokyo National Museum. Its collection of 110,000 pieces, of which 4,000 are on display at a time, consists of art and artifacts from Japan and other Asian cultures.
The park is also home to Ueno Zoo, the oldest zoo in Japan (opened 1882). Today, the park houses 2,600 animals across 460 species. In 1972, when Japan and the People's Republic of China re-established diplomatic relations, China gave the zoo its first panda bears as a present. Thus, pandas have become not only the most famous animals housed at the zoo, but a symbol of the entire Ueno Park.
I wasn't kidding about the whole Panda theme. Back in Ueno Station, I came across this adorable display of a panda underneath a cherry tree, holding a stick of dango (
one of which I tried the day before).
Until next time, I'm signing off with a sakura selfie!
Ueno Park
Hours: The park itself is open 24 hours a day. Operating hours for museums and other on-site attractions may vary.
Costs: The park itself is free to enter. Entry costs for museums and other on-site attractions may vary.
Address: Ueno-kōen, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒110-0007
Access: Directly adjacent to Ueno (JR Yamanote
(JY), Keihin-Tohoku
(JK), Takasaki/Utsunomiya
(JU), Joban
(JJ), Tokyo Metro Ginza
(G) and Hibiya
(H) lines) and Keisei-Ueno (Keisei Main
(KS) and Airport
(KS) lines) stations.
From Tokyo Station, take the Joban, Takasaki, or Utsunomiya lines from Tokyo to Ueno (JU02/JJ01, 5 minutes, ¥160, JR Pass OK). Trains on the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines are more frequent and only take a couple of minutes longer.
Directions: From JR Ueno station, the closest exit is the Park Exit on the 4th floor. The park entrance is across the pedestrian overpass. From all other exits, turn right and continue along Chuo-dori. The park entrance will be up the stairs straight ahead.
From Keisei-Ueno station, exit to street level and head left. The park entrance will be up the stairs immediately to the left.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
Tokyo National Museum
Hours: Open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Entry ends 30 minutes before closing time. Closed Mondays (except holidays), and from 24 December to 1 January (except Mondays).
Costs: ¥620 for permanent exhibitions, ¥1,000-1,500 for special exhibitions.
Address: 13-9 Ueno-kōen, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒110-8712
Directions: From the southern park entrance, walk north along the main path for about 10 minutes. The museum will be straight ahead, at the far end of the path.
From the Park Exit of JR Ueno station, cross along the overpass, turn right, take the next left, and turn right again at the fountain crossing. The museum will be straight ahead, at the far end of the path.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
Ueno Zoo
Hours: Open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Entry ends 1 hour before closing time. Closed Mondays (except holidays), and from 29 December to 1 January.
Costs: ¥600
Address: 8-93 Ueno-kōen, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒110-0007
Directions: From the southern park entrance, walk north along the main path for about 5 minutes, then turn left at the crossing before the fountain. The zoo entrance will be straight ahead.
From the Park Exit of JR Ueno station, cross along the overpass, turn right, then take the next left. The zoo entrance will be straight ahead.
The western Ikenohata gate can also be accessed in 4 minutes from Nezu station (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda
(C) line).
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
