Ueno Park is the cultural heart of the city: the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and Japan’s oldest zoo all stand within its grounds. At the foot of the hill, the market street of Ameyoko runs under the railway arches, selling everything from dried fish to trainers.
North-west of the park, Yanaka escaped both the 1923 earthquake and wartime bombing largely intact. With neighbouring Nezu and Sendagi it forms “Yanesen”, a district of wooden houses, small temples, craft shops and cats, where an old-fashioned shopping street still serves the neighbourhood. It is the best place in Tokyo for an unhurried walk.
Highlights
- The Tokyo National Museum’s samurai armour, screens and Buddhist sculpture
- Cherry-blossom picnics along Ueno Park’s central avenue
- Bargaining and street food on Ameyoko
- Sunset from the Yuyake Dandan steps above Yanaka Ginza
- The tunnel of red torii at Nezu Shrine
- Swan boats and lotus leaves on Shinobazu Pond
Ueno & Yanaka in pictures
How long to stay and where to base yourself
How long: one day covers a museum, the park, Ameyoko and a walk through Yanaka. Museum lovers should allow two.
Where to base yourself: Ueno is one of the most practical and affordable bases in Tokyo. The Keisei Skyliner from Narita terminates here, the Shinkansen stops, and Asakusa and Akihabara are minutes away. The streets right around the station are busy and a little rough-edged at night; Yanaka and Nezu are quiet and residential, with a few small inns. See where to stay in Tokyo.
