Tokyo is so unfathomably large that each district could almost pass for a separate city. Ueno is one these, and one of the capital’s most distinctive neighbourhoods. Spread out around a vast park of the same name, Ueno offers an appealing mix of world-class museums, lively street markets and a handful of old-fashioned areas where life flows at a slower pace. In this guide, Trot Op! explores Ueno and nearby Yanaka, visiting the district’s main sights and attractions.
Why visit Ueno and Yanaka?
Ueno lies just north of central Tokyo and is a district with two distinct faces. Just like nearby Asakusa (read my article here) it’s part of the old shitamachi or “lower city”: a historically working-class area with fewer high-rises, and a reputation for being a little more down-to-earth and authentic than Tokyo’s glossy business districts. None of this is noticeable in any way when you walk out of Ueno Station. This is one of the city’s busier transport hubs, and one of only two served by the Narita Express to the airport. The station area is hectic and – shitamachi be damned – packed with tall, flashy buildings. This chaos disappears almost completely as soon as you enter Ueno Park.
Ueno Park is Ueno’s main focal point, and one of the most cherished parks in Tokyo. On weekends it fills with families, students and locals looking to unwind. This is quite understandable. Ueno Park is home to several historic temples, Japan’s oldest zoo and several of Tokyo’s top museums. You could easily spend an entire day here, but there’s more to Ueno than the park alone.
Ueno’s pleasant mix of culture, history and nature has been attracting alternative and well-off Tokyoites for years. It might not be the most spectacular part of Tokyo, but it’s a very good place to live – especially in the residential areas where it’s still actually quiet.
Yanaka – just north of Ueno Park – is one of these areas, and one of the few parts of Tokyo that emerged out of World War II largely unscathed. As a result, many old buildings were preserved, giving it a nice nostalgic vibe. It’s a charming, somewhat old-fashioned neighbourhood with cosy streets full of local shops, cafés and some small galleries. It’s a hub for artists and craftsmen as well: a few places offer workshops you can join. Strangely, Yanaka almost feels like a village where neighbours still seem to know each other: a small oasis of peace in the world’s largest city. Moreover – and this is probably the best thing – it’s somehow packed with cats.
This alone demands a visit, but before diving into Yanaka’s quieter streets, let’s start with Ueno’s main attractions.
Before you start reading: Are you visiting Tokyo for the first time? Check my Tokyo travel guide for a complete overview of every main neighbourhood, fun itineraries, the best hotels in each area and lots of practical tips – then you’re ready for a walk through Ueno.
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Ueno Park and its cultural heavyweights
Ueno Park is the cultural heart of the district and one of the most museum-dense areas in the whole of Japan. This is where you’ll find most of Ueno’s famous attractions: several temples, galleries and historic institutions. This said, just walking around to get a taste of Tokyo at leisure can be just as rewarding.
Ueno Park: temples, people-watching and cherry blossoms
Ueno Park is one of Tokyo’s most beloved public spaces, and thus a great place for people spotting: families having a picknick, school children almost folding under their giant backpacks, street performers, kawaii girls posing for their Instagram – they’re all here. If you’re in Tokyo in spring, Ueno Park will be one of the most spectacular locations to see the cherry blossoms – which of course means it’ll be a lot busier too.
The entire park used to be owned by the Kaneiji Temple. This was one of the main religious powerhouses in Japan during the Tokugawa shogunate. This influence is non-existent today, but the impressive temple can still be visited and its five-story pagoda is quite the sight. Another beautiful place of worship is Toshogu Shrine, which comes with an artfully decorated main hall almost entirely covered in gold leaf.
One last interesting temple is Bentendo, located on an island in Shinobazu Pond. In summer, lotus flowers cover the whole pond, which makes for a spectacular sight (unfortunately they were already wilted when I got here). Ueno Park is great. You could easily walk here for several hours without seeing anything twice.
Tokyo National Museum: Japan’s cultural treasury
Tokyo National Museum is Japan’s oldest and largest museum, set in a beautiful Japanese garden home to several historic tea houses. These were carefully deconstructed elsewhere in the country and rebuilt here for posterity. The museum consists of several galleries spread across six different buildings, some of which are protected monuments themselves. Because it would be impossible to display everything at once, the exhibitions rotate with the seasons, so there’s always something new to discover.
The Japanese Gallery in the Honkan building is the most famous part of the complex. Here you’ll find everything from primeval art and early Buddhist statues to original samurai armour and classical works on folding screens and canvas. The museum collection is absolutely vast: if you want to see it in any real depth, you’d probably have to spend a whole day here.
Tip: Looking for some professional help to plow through the National Museum’s enormous collection? Book an in-depth private tour here.
Other museums in Ueno Park
Tokyo National Museum is not the only superb museum in Ueno Park. On a city trip you’ll probably never visit all of them – it can only rain that many days in a row – but with this overview you’ll at least know what’s on offer.
–National Museum of Nature and Science: huge science museum in an eclectic building from the 1930s. In it, you’ll learn everything about Japanese ecosystems; there’s an exhibition on robots and space technology; you can admire a whole herd of stuffed animals and there are several dinosaur skeletons on display, with a large plesiosaur (technically not a dino: I’m a nerd in these things) perhaps being the most unique.
–Metropolitan Art Museum: museum of modern art, where both Japanese and international artists are exhibited. The permanent collection is not that big, so almost all exhibitions are temporary – which means there’s always something completely new to discover.
–National Museum of Western Art: in this museum, in a somewhat brutish-looking building designed by Le Corbusier and now a World Heritage site itself, you can see plenty of art by some of the greatest European masters. Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Rodin: the list is long.
Tip: looking for a great tour that takes you to all of the park’s most interesting architectural marvels (both temples and museums)? This one could be very handy.
Ueno Zoo: cheap, historic and ethically complicated
Ueno Park has a zoo as well, and it’s the oldest in Japan. A ticket for Ueno Zoo costs a ridiculous 600 yen (just under €4), and because they have a couple of giant pandas and I’d never seen one in real life, I decided to go and take a look. Two hours later I found myself back outside with mixed feelings. The zoo itself is quite spacious and has a few unique residents you rarely get to see: Japanese giant salamanders and shoebill storks that look like demonic dinos for example (all birds are – unlike plesiosaurs – now considered dinosaurs by the way, so they never actually went extinct).
Sadly you can really tell this zoo is ancient. Some enclosures are alright, but several offer far too little space or stimuli, which causes some of the larger animals to pace neurotically – something you don’t see in a modern zoo. Maybe – you know – ask 1.200 yen for a ticket instead and build some larger and more natural enclosures with the spare change. The panda enclosure was fine for what they need (they just munch on bamboo for 16 hours a day, so the don’t need that much anyway). Unfortunately the pandas are what everybody wants to see, which means you’ll have to queue up to get a glimpse. This took me twenty minutes on a rainy Tuesday morning. I don’t want to know how long it takes on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Markets, streets and everyday Ueno
Beyond the park, Ueno feels a little more chaotic. Around the station and under the train tracks, you’ll find a very lively area full of shops, market stalls and bars. Perfect place to hang out, especially after sunset.
Ameya Yokocho: Ueno’s chaotic street market
Right next to the station, you’ll find Ueno’s most photogenic attraction (as far as I’m concerned). Ameya Yokocho – often abbreviated to Ameyoko – is one of the most vibrant street markets in Tokyo. Originally Ameyoko was founded as a black market after WWII, where everything that wasn’t available during the war was sold under the table.
Nowadays it spreads out for over half a kilometre next to and even under the Yamanote line railway bridge, and there are more than 400 stalls and shops to be visited. During the day, people mainly come here to do their shopping, but after dark it gets more interesting. This is when the bars and izakaya start filling up with salarymen looking for some after-hours boozing. These bars are sometimes located right under the tracks, which means your beer will almost rattle off the counter every time a train passes above.
Obviously, the market is also a good place to have a snack: Takoyaki (Octopus Balls), Menchi-Katsu (Minced Meat Cutlets) or a surprising amount of fresh fruit on skewers – take your pick. Wander around and get ready for an eventful evening full of exotic snacks and atmospheric pictures. The weebs among you will find their own little treasure trove nearby. Yamashiroya is a huge store full of anime and action figures of all shapes and sizes.
Tip: Want an expert to pick the food for you? This is a fun food tour through Ameyoko with seven different snacks to try.
Momi no Yu Café: soak your feet after sightseeing
Did you ruin your poor feet running around Ueno all day? No need to cry about it: you’ll find the perfect remedy near Ameyoko. Momi no Yu Café is a tiny place full of exquisitely friendly ladies who will offer you some delicious herbal tea. This is of course nothing extraordinary in Tokyo, were it not for the fact you can soak your feet under the table while you drink it, in a constant stream of pleasantly hot spring water. They’ve even put some plastic squeaky ducks in just for fun. The water will do wonders for your tired trotters, and if you’ve had a real rough day, you can lie your head on a cushion while one of the patrons enthusiastically loosens up your back. It’s a casual place by the way, no reservation needed.
Nezu and Yanaka: old Tokyo survives
Just south and north of Ueno Park, the city seems to slow down considerably. Both Nezu and Yanaka are remnants of an older Tokyo. They survived war, redevelopment and time, resulting in some of the city’s most peaceful and atmospheric streets and neighbourhoods.
Nezu Shrine: a quieter Fushimi Inari
Before heading to Yanaka, take a fifteen minute detour to Nezu Shrine. This is a true hidden gem, located in a secluded garden with a koi pond. The shrine was built around the year 1700, making it one of the oldest in Tokyo. In Japan, a shrine and a temple are not the same. Temples are Buddhist; shrines are devoted to the indigenous Shintoism: an ancient faith revering the Kami. These are a myriad of natural forces, spirits and ancestors that can both help and thwart you in life (apparently there are about eight million of them, so a making a bit of a selection is in order). These two religions are not in conflict with each other, and many Japanese people combine traditions and customs of both depending on the situation. You enter each Shinto shrine through its distinctive torii gate, indicating the boundary between the mundane and the sacred.
Nezu Shrine – just like the famous Fushimi Inari in Kyoto – has a lot of these gates, and together they make for a photogenic little tunnel running up a hill. Of course there are not as many as in Kyoto but there’s about a million fewer tourists here as well. This means you can usually enjoy the scenery in peace. This changes briefly in April when the azalea festival is celebrated and the whole garden is in bloom. The central hall is worth a visit as well, and is apparently used to pray for academic success. Students who flunked their exams know where to book their next holiday. Beautiful little find, and not to be missed in my opinion.
Yanaka Ginza: shopping street with a cat obsession
*It was raining really badly guys: I’m not a magician.
Yanaka Ginza is the central and most lively shopping street in Yanaka. It’s close to the metro station, and you get there via the Sunset Stairs: a concrete staircase where you can take very nice pictures at sunset (not when the weather is as shitty as when I was there). Yanaka is known as “Cat Town”. This is because there are usually whole gangs of stray cats roaming around, which are fed and cared for by the local residents. I didn’t see a single one though, but I guess the rain had something to do with that.
Luckily, cats are everywhere in the local shops, be it in a more symbolic way. Just about every place offers something cat-related: from cat tail donuts (not real tails, don’t worry) in Yanaka Shippoya and cat cakes in Manekiya to an abundance of cat figurines and other items in Yanaka Ginza’s other shops. Café Nekoemon is a little further away. Here you can order cat desserts to go with your coffee, and you can paint a maneki-neko (beckoning cat) while you drink it. Even stranger is Nen-nekoya: a chaotic “cat hostel” where the owner’s cats roam free and almost all the food is cat-shaped. Nyan curry (literally “meow curry”) is the most popular dish, and it looks endearing in the best possible way.
Tip: here’s a great walking tour passing through both Nezu Shrine and Yanaka, including a stop in a local bar.
Yanaka Reien: walking through history in an atmospheric cemetery
Yanaka Reien is a vast cemetery that – surprise! – is located in the middle of Yanaka. Interesting place to visit, even if only to see how different (but recognizable) Japanese graveyards are compared to their Western equivalent. The tombstones here are rectangular pillars, often with a couple of sotoba next to them. These are wooden planks covered in Buddhist texts and the deceased’s name written in calligraphy. Many graves serve the whole family, and have room for water, flowers and incense. Some even have food on them – usually things the occupants liked to eat when they weren’t dead yet.
Of all the cemeteries in Tokyo, Yanaka Reien is one of the largest. It’s the final resting place of several writers and samurai, and even the very last Shogun is buried here (in a surprisingly modest grave). You’re basically walking through a living (well…) museum. In spring, the dead rest under vibrant cherry blossoms, which gives the whole place a surreal touch. The cemetery is also where you have the best chance of encountering some of the local cats. They’re usually lounging on the graves like lazy guardian angels. They probably just like the warmth of the sun on the stones.
Yadorigi Café: an ethical cat café in Yanaka
Most Tokyoites live in tiny apartments with no room for a pet bigger than a dwarf hamster. As a result, Tokyo is bursting with animal cafes, where they compensate this lack of companionship by playing with some puppies for an hour. Cat and dog cafes are everywhere, but it doesn’t stop there. Tokyo also has cafés full of micropigs, owls, hedgehogs, iguanas, cockatoos, desert foxes, chameleons, snakes, otters, penguins (yup) and in at least one case even fully-grown capybaras. This all sounds quite amusing, but in terms of animal wellbeing it of course raises serious questions.
Not so in Yadorigi Café in Yanaka. This is not only one of the most ethical cat cafes I’ve ever visited, it’s also probably the world’s only cat-Italian-restaurant. It’s run by a friendly guy called Massimo, and he takes his job very seriously. Before you can enter, you have to thoroughly disinfect your shoes and hands; before you can touch a cat (they have to want to come to you first by the way) you have to watch a short video explaining the rules, and whoever orders a pasta gets a little water sprayer so they won’t jump into your spaghetti bolognese. Training them to behave is crucial, because all will eventually get adopted. To be eligible for this, you’ll have to meet a bunch of strict conditions. The animals seem quite content to be staying here anyway, because they’re living the life: extensive climbing and scratching constructions, a lot of places for them to lie down in peace or be the antisocial little demons they are, and plenty of toys to play with. Lovely place I stumbled upon by complete accident.
Ueno Sakuragi Atari: beer and crafts in historic houses
Near Yanaka Reien is a small but unique site called Ueno Sakuragi Atari. This is not a repository for forgotten game consoles from the eighties, but a collection of three almost hundred-year-old wooden houses that were refurbished to their original state. When that was done, all kinds of businesses were opened in them. You can have a bunch of different craft beers in the Yanaka Beer Hall for example (“hall” is quite a generous term in this case). You can also try some freshly baked bread or pastries in the Vaner Bakery next door, or buy all kinds of salts and olive oil in OshiOlive. There are regular cultural workshops given here, and there’s a handicraft store upstairs. Interesting place for a quick visit when you’re in the area, but don’t come on Mondays or too early because everything will be closed.
Practical tips for visiting Ueno and Yanaka
**There are a couple of affiliate links to interesting activities or hotels in this article. These were personally selected to make sure they actually add value. If you’re already planning to book a tour or hotel in Ueno or the rest of Tokyo, consider doing so via one of my links. Doesn’t cost you an extra dime and I’ll get a small compensation for my efforts. Thank you in advance.**
Where to stay in Ueno and Yanaka (according to budget)
Ueno is one of the best-connected areas in Tokyo, and the station area is a lot of fun, making it a convenient base no matter what your itinerary looks like. Staying near Ueno Station gives you direct access to multiple metro lines and the Narita Express, while Yanaka offers a more residential atmosphere. If you want peace and character, stay near Yanaka or Nezu. If convenience is key, stay near Ueno Station. Here are some good hotel/hostel suggestions:
Budget:
–Tomariya Ueno Hostel: modern dorm-style hostel with private sleep pods near Ueno Station.
–Grids Tokyo Ueno Hotel & Hostel: another popular hostal, very close to Uneo Station. Offers private rooms as well.
Mid-range:
–Hotel Graphy Nezu: cool, social hotel with a rooftop terrace, close to Yanaka.
–APA Hotel Ueno Ekiminami: not the biggest rooms, but right by the station and with a nice communal area.
Higher end:
–Nogha Hotel Ueno: beautiful and stylish venue with spacious rooms. It’s right by Ueno Station and offers excellent breakfast.
–Mitsui Garden Hotel Ueno: modern and comfortable venue with views over Ueno Park.
Tours and activities in Ueno & Yanaka
Looking for more fun activities in Ueno? GetYourGuide offers a huge range. Here are some interesting options:
-a Ueno food tour to several local izakaya away from the tourist spots
-a soba noodle making workshop in Yanaka with a professional chef
-a Ueno pub crawl to several bars and izakaya
-a workshop where you learn how to make traditional Japanese paper
Want to get out of the city for a while? Book a fully guided daytrip to Mount Fuji and Hakone, to the beautiful temples and nature around Nikko, or visit Kamakura’s giant Buddha.
Getting online in Tokyo
Buy a local eSIM card before you get to Japan, you’ll need it. I’ve been using Airalo for years. This app lets you buy data in almost every country on the planet. It just takes a couple of clicks. Install the sim at home and just activate it after landing. You need mobile data in Japan, so you can use Google Maps to navigate through the subway system in real time. Google will tell you which train to take when, which carriage is best for your transfer and which exit you need to use to get to your destination fastest.
Getting to Ueno and general Tokyo transport
You’ll need a Suica Card to use public transport smoothly. You can buy them at any station and top it up with cash through the machines. It works in every Japanese city. The Suica Card also serves as an electronic wallet. The Japanese economy is surprisingly cash-focused, so if you don’t pay with your Suica Card, you’ll be carrying around a whole pouch of nearly unusable coins after a couple of days.
Long-distance travel in Japan
If you want to visit a lot of different cities with the Shinkansen bullet train, it’s best to buy a Japan Rail Pass. You’ll have to do this from home and long before your departure, because they’ll actually send you the pass by mail and you can’t buy one in Japan. If you’re only visiting three or four cities like I did, it might be better to buy separate tickets on the spot – you’ll have to do the math to see which option is preferable.
Don’t want to bother with all of this and looking for a tailor-made trip (either individually or in a group) instead? Check out Japan Experience: they offer plenty of wonderful itineraries throughout the entire country.
Further reading
Ready for more Tokyo? I made individual articles on the following neighbourhoods: Akihabara, Odaiba, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Harajuku, Asakusa, Ueno and Marunouchi.
Looking for other trips in Asia-Pacific? I have city guides on Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi.
Want something completely different? Visit Texas after reading my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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