When is the Best Time to Visit Ueno Park?

Being the largest green space and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo, Ueno Park is not only famous for its zoo and museums, but also for seasonal scenery. Do you know what is it? Let us introduce the attractions inside the park and how beautiful it is in different seasons.

Ueno Park in Four Seasons

One of the first public parks in Japan, Ueno Park is where you can enjoy all four seasons throughout the year

Ueno Park’s Sakura in Spring

With over 1200 cheery trees are planted throughout the area, the park is known as a popular sakura (cherry blossoms) viewing spot since the Edo period. The Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival is held from late March to early April every year, you can even enjoy cheery blossoms at night. About a thousand paper lanterns strung along the trees to make for a fantastic sakura illumination. 

Ueno Park’s Events in Summer

Filled with fresh green leaves, Ueno Park started to be popular among the local families. Many events such as the Samurai Festival, the Australia Festival, Insect Festival are just a few that are held here, attracting families and tourists from all over. Travellers can, of course, take part in those events and enjoy Japanese summer there as the locals do.

Ueno Park’s Autumn Leaves

While well known for its cheery blossoms in spring, Ueno Park is also one of the nicest places to see the autumn leaves. From mid-November to early December, you can see coloured zelkova and ginkgo trees line the avenue from the main gate of the Tokyo National Museum, and deeply dyed maple leaves surround the Kiyomizu Kannon Temple. Throughout the park you can enjoy the spectacle of reds, yellows and golds.

Ueno Park’s Winter Cheery Illumination 

Ueno Park is a popular spot to view the cherry blossoms in spring. During the winter illumination, the sakura trees will shine again. During the event, the naked sakura trees are decorated with pink LED lights, which create a magnificent world very different from spring’s charms.

Ueno Park Zoo

Opened in 1882, Ueno Zoo is the oldest zoo in Japan. It has been expanded its area over the years, and now is home to over 2,600 animals from 464 different species.

Spot Information

• Spot name: Ueno Park Zoo
• Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00 (admission until 16:00)
• Closed:
• Every Monday (If Monday is public holiday, then will be closed on the following day)
• 29th Decemeber- 1st January.
• Admission Fee: 

• The admission is free on March 20 (Ueno Zoo's Anniversary Day), May 4 (Greenery Day), and October 1 (Tokyo Citizens' Day).

Three Must-see Museums in Ueno Park

Ueno Park holds 3 big museums which have long history and they are always filled with local people. Each museum has English or Chinese guide as well. Let’s take a peek one by one!

The National Museum of Western Art (NMWA) 

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016, NMWA exhibits the Impressionist paintings and Auguste Rodin's sculptures from the Matsukata Collection as well as works from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.

Spot Information

• Spot name: The National Museum of Western Art (NMWA)
• Opening Hours: 9:30 - 17:30 (Open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)
• Admission Fee:

• Special exhibitions require a separate admission fee.
• Admission to the Collection Galleries is free on the second and the fourth Saturdays of each month, May 18, and November 3; on Friday and Saturday evenings from 17:00 to 20:00.

Tokyo National Museum (TNM)

The oldest Japanese national museum, TNM boasts a fine and comprehensive collection of art works and antiquities from Japan and other Asian countries. 

Spot Information

• Spot name: Tokyo National Museum (TNM)
• Opening Hours:
• 9:30 - 17:30
• Open until 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Open until 18:00 on Sundays and National Holidays, April - September, 2018.
• Admission Fee:

• Special exhibitions require a separate admission fee.
• Free admission to Regular Exhibitions on International Museum Day (May 18), Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday of September each year) and December 23–25.

National Museum of Nature and Science (NMNS)

It is Japan's only national science museum, which displays a large collection of works and items related to natural sciences, technology and history.

Spot Information

• Spot name: National Museum of Nature and Science (NMNS)
• Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (open until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)
• Admission Fee: 

• Special exhibitions require a separate admission fee.

Information about Ueno Park

• Spot name: Ueno Park
  
• Opening Hours: 05:00 - 23:00
  
• Address: 5-20 Ueno Koen Taito-ku Tokyo
  
• Access: JR Yamanote Line, JR Keihin Tohoku, JR Takasaki Line, JR Utsunomiya Line, Tokyo Metro iron Ginza Line Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line "Ueno" (G16 · H17) get off a 2-minute walk. Keisei Main Line "Keisei Ueno" walk 1 minute.