By: jrigg0101
ASIA, CITY GUIDES, JAPAN

6 FUN THINGS TO DO IN UENO

Hi guys! Welcome to my post about fun things to do in Ueno! So, it’s been a while. I have been travelling in this time and with limited internet access. However I’m now back home and ready to create a bunch of content around my travels. So if you’re interested in all my tips and tricks for travelling Japan, or my experience living in a Fjijan village for a month then you’re in the right place!

You can sign up to my mailing list by clicking here if you’d like notifications when my new posts are up, as well as a chatty monthly newsletter. So, without further ado… onto 6 fun things to do in Ueno!

1. Ueno Park’s Temples

If you’d like to experience some of the many temples and shrines that Japan has to offer, then Ueno park is a great place to start. There are 3 notable shrines. Shinobazunoike Bentendo Temple which is on an island in the middle of the park. Kiyomizu Kannon-dō which is another Buddhist temple nearby and then finally, Ueno Toshogu Shrine which is a Shinto Shrine.

Watch this space for a guide on how to visit both Buddhist and Shinto shrines!

Ueno Park Shrine

2. Ueno Zoo

Now this one is a bit tricky. Some of the animals were seemingly treat very well. However others (such as the polar bear) didn’t seem to be amazingly happy, especially since it was about 36°C.  On the day I went, about 10 animal enclosures were shut and the animals were being kept inside for their health due to the hot weather so it appears that are looking after the animals accordingly.

There were some educational displays and my lack of Japanese probably meant that there was more information available than I could access. It’s about £4.60 to enter the zoo as an adult and £1.50 for children and you can spend a few hours there.  The main attraction is the family of Pandas, which is of course very cute to see. I think that you can make your own mind up about the ethics behind the Zoo, however I wouldn’t discount it straight away. 

Ueno Zoo

3.  Tokyo National Museum

This was the best museum! I went on my first full day in Japan and I though it was really helpful in giving a foundation of knowledge on Japanese history, art and culture which further enhanced my trip. I would wholly recommend the Nat’l museum to anyone wanting to learn more about Japan.

Tokyo National Museum

4. Tokyo Museum of Western Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum and The National Museum of Nature and Science

These are all places right next to the Tokyo National Museum that I didn’t have time to visit, but were on my list. Hopefully you have more time than me and can explore these galleries and museums!

5. Ameya Yokocho

This is a crazy shopping street near the station where you can find everything! It’s also close by to a lot of restaurants which is convenient for lunch or dinner.

6. Ueno Station

For more department-like shopping, the station surprisingly delivers. There are several stores within the complex, as well as a Starbucks and other coffee shops for if you need a break. For a more solid meal, there are some restaurants including the Hard Rock Cafe if you’re wanting some more western cuisine.

Ueno City

I hope you enjoyed this little guide to Tokyo’s Ueno district. Let me know if you have any recommendations yourself or if you’ve visited any of these places!

Bye for now x

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