Ueno-kōen

Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

TOKYO, JAPAN. APRIL 2025. 
UENO
Ueno park, cherry blossoms

Best known for its profusion of cherry trees that burst into blossom in spring (making this one of Tokyo's top hanami – blossom-viewing – spots), sprawling Ueno-kōen is also the location of the city's highest concentration of museums.

TOKYO, JAPAN. APRIL 2025. 
UENO
Cherry blossoms, paper lanterns, and picnickers on blue sheet tarps in Ueno Park
View of cherry blossoms at Ueno-kōen in Tokyo, Japan. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

At the southern tip is the large scenic pond, Shinobazu-ike, choked with lotus flowers in summer.

Swan paddleboats seen on the water in Tokyo, viewed through cherry blossom trees
People on paddle boats on Shinobazu Pond in Ueno-kōen, Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

Navigating the park is easy, thanks to large maps in English. The wooded pathways also wind past centuries-old temples and shrines; the entire site was the domain of the temple Kanei-ji during the Edo era.

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