Ueno at a glance
Ueno is one of the few remaining places in Tokyo that retains a feeling of old Shitamachi. Unlike other areas such as Shinjuku, Roppongi, Harajuku, and Shibuya, Ueno has not been overwhelmed by high-rise apartment buildings and massive shopping malls. The district is most famous for Ueno Park and Tokyo’s easternmost railway hub, Ueno Station. The station was once where old steam locomotives departed Tokyo for the snowy Tohoku region in northeast Japan.
Ueno Park was the first public park in Tokyo and is one of the city’s finest. It houses some of the Tokyo’s best museums, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the National Science Museum, and the Shitamachi Museum. The park’s Shinobazu Pond is home to Benten-do, a beautiful temple dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten. Ueno Park ‘s 1,000 cherry trees make it a great place to view sakura blossoms in the early spring. Other Ueno attractions include the Ameyoko Arcade and Ueno Zoo.
Click on the Ueno map for a larger image.
Orientation
Ueno is located in northern Tokyo, just west of Asakusa. Ueno Station is a busy railway hub and is served by a handful of train and subway lines. The Keisei Skyliner, Keisei limited express trains, and the JR Joban Line operate service from Narita Airport to Ueno Station, making it a popular place for incoming international travelers to transfer lines on their way to other parts of Tokyo and Japan.
How to get to Ueno
Ueno Station is serviced by several subway, JR, and private train lines.
JR: Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Joban Line
Tokyo Metro: Hibiya Line, Ginza Line
Keisei: Keisei Skyliner, Keisei limited express trains