Ueno Park: From Toshogu Shrine to Shinobazu Pond and Ameya Yokocho

This course starts at the Park Gate of Ueno Station, takes you through Ueno Park to Ueno Toshogu Shrine and Shinobazu Pond, and finishes at Ameya Yokocho, commonly known as Ameyoko.

History and Regional Charm

During the Edo period, the entire area of Ueno Park formed the precincts of Kan'ei-ji Temple. Tenkai, the monk who founded Kan'ei-ji Temple, designed the hill of Ueno around the concept of mitate (visual metaphor or poetic association), likening Shinobazu Pond to Lake Biwa. It was also Tenkai who planted cherry trees across the hill. In 1627, Toshosha—the origin of Ueno Toshogu Shrine—was founded as one of the temple buildings of Kan'ei-ji Temple. Although Kan'ei-ji Temple lost most of its structures in the 1868 battle between the Shogitai and imperial forces, Ueno Toshogu Shrine survived. After the battle, an 1873 Dajokan proclamation designated this area as one of Japan's first public parks. Ameya Yokocho, situated alongside the railway tracks, began as a black market formed after World War II. Here, you can trace the history of Ueno as it evolved from an Edo-period hill and pond into a Meiji-era park and then into a postwar shopping street.

Highlights

• ​Ueno Park​​: The fountain square beyond the Park Gate is called Takenodai; during the Edo period, Kan'ei-ji Temple's Konpon Chu-do Hall stood here. The statue of Saigo Takamori, sculpted by Takamura Koun, stands at the southern end of the park, near Keisei Ueno Station.
• ​Ueno Toshogu Shrine​​: A shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu as a deity. The current Konjikiden (Golden Hall), Sukibei (lattice wall), and Karamon (Chinese-style gate) were rebuilt in 1651 by the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and their walls and doors are covered in gold leaf. The Karamon gate features carvings of an ascending dragon and a descending dragon, which legends say go to drink the water of Shinobazu Pond every night.
• ​Shinobazu Pond​​: A natural pond consisting of three sections: the Lotus Pond, Boat Pond, and Cormorant Pond. On Nakanoshima island stands Shinobazu Pond Bentendo, an octagonal hall designed to allow worship from all four sides of the pond.
• ​Ameya Yokocho​​: More than 400 shops line this stretch of about 500 meters, filled with the lively calls of vendors. Most shops specialize in specific goods, such as sunglasses or jeans.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The recommended route takes around 3 hours. When you exit the Park Gate of JR Ueno Station, you will see The National Museum of Western Art on your right and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan on your left; walking past them brings you to the square with the fountain. There are elevation changes within the park, and walking distances can be long. Ueno Toshogu Shrine is a 10-minute walk from the Park Gate. Paying the admission fee to go inside the Sukibei wall allows you to view the shrine pavilions and the carvings on the Karamon gate up close. Shinobazu Pond, where the dragons of the Karamon gate are said to drink, lies about 390 meters to the south. Lotus flowers open in the early morning and gradually close around midday, so if you plan to view the blossoms between July and August, starting your walk in the morning is recommended. Ameya Yokocho is about 390 meters southeast of Shinobazu Pond. The entrance sign on the Ueno Station side reads "Ameya Yokocho," while the Okachimachi Station side reads "Ameyoko." Along the street stands Marishiten Tokudai-ji Temple. For your return trip, JR Ueno Station's Shinobazu Gate and JR Okachimachi Station's North Gate are just a short walk away.

Experience Summary

View the golden hall and dragon carvings up close, stroll along the shores of the pond where the dragons are said to drink, and finish in a bustling shopping street filled with vendor calls. As you walk down the hill of Ueno, experience the changing eras from the Edo period to postwar Japan.