Ueno Park

Ueno Park is one of the first public parks in Japan, opened in 1873, and it has grown into the cultural quarter of Tokyo, with more museums packed into one green space than anywhere else in the city. The land once belonged to Kan'ei-ji, a powerful temple of the Tokugawa shoguns, and parts of that history survive among the trees, alongside the galleries, a zoo and a large lotus pond.

The big museums are all within a few minutes of each other. The Tokyo National Museum fills the northern end, while the National Museum of Western Art occupies a Le Corbusier building that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing. The National Museum of Nature and Science and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum are close by, and Ueno Zoo, which opened in 1882, is the oldest zoo in Japan. Among the historic sites, Ueno Toshogu is a shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu with a richly gilded hall, and the Bentendo temple stands on an island in Shinobazu Pond, where lotus leaves cover the water in summer and rowing and swan boats can be hired.

The park itself is free and open at all times, although the museums, zoo and boat hire charge separately and keep their own hours, and some facilities close over the New Year. In spring, around 800 cherry trees line the main avenue and turn it into one of the busiest hanami spots in Tokyo, with picnic parties under the blossom from morning until night. Autumn is quieter and pleasant for walking.

The park suits almost everyone. Families can combine the zoo with the science museum, art lovers can spend a whole day here, and runners and walkers use the paths early in the morning. Allow an hour simply to walk around, or a full day if you plan to visit a museum or two. There are cafés in the park, including a branch of Starbucks, and paid parking.

JR Ueno Station's Park Exit leads straight into the park, about two minutes' walk, and Keisei Ueno Station is around a minute away. The Ameyoko market street runs south from the station, and the old streets of Yanaka are a walk to the north-west.