Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Park)
A metropolitan park bringing together cherry-tree avenues, Shinobazu Pond, museums and galleries. The park is open 05:00–23:00; its cultural institutions each have their own closures and admission fees.
At a glance
- Location
- Ueno Koen and Ikenohata 3-chome, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Park hours
- 05:00–23:00; no entry outside these hours
- Admission
- Park free; some facilities charge admission
- Access
- 2 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ueno Station; 1 minute from Keisei-Ueno Station on foot
- Official guide
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government park information ↗
Checked · 2026.10.27
Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Park)
A metropolitan park bringing together cherry-tree avenues, Shinobazu Pond, museums and galleries. The park is open 05:00–23:00; its cultural institutions each have their own closures and admission fees.
- Walking paths
- Shinobazu Pond
- Cultural institutions
- Park management office
The park and its cultural institutions
Opened in 1873, this metropolitan park combines Shinobazu Pond, cherry blossoms and other trees with museums, galleries and a zoo. Free park walks do not mean free admission to every indoor institution. Check the individual operating conditions for your exhibition, zoo visit or boat rental.
The park is not open 24 hours
The official basic information from the managing authority, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Construction, specifies 05:00–23:00 and prohibits entry outside those hours. Do not interpret “always open” in other descriptions as permission for 24-hour access. For evening walks, plan around the 23:00 closure and your transport home.
| Place or service | Hours |
|---|---|
| Park | 05:00–23:00 |
| Park management office | 08:30–17:15 |
| Office closure | December 29–January 3 |
| Museums, galleries and zoo | Check each institution’s official schedule |
Choose your entrance first
Guidance gives a two-minute walk from Ueno Station on JR, the Ginza Line and Hibiya Line, and one minute from Keisei-Ueno Station. The park is large, however, and the nearest entrance depends on whether your destination is toward the museums or Shinobazu Pond. Ueno Station’s Park Exit is not necessarily the shortest route to every facility; locate your actual destination first.
Boat types and prices on Shinobazu Pond
Boat rental is a separate paid facility, reachable on 03-3828-9502. These official prices, current on the checked date, are per boat for 30 minutes. Children count toward capacity, so state your party’s numbers and ages before choosing a boat.
| Boat | Capacity / 30-minute price |
|---|---|
| Rowboat | Up to 3 adults / ¥800 |
| Pedal cycle boat | 2 adults + 1 child / ¥1,000 |
| Swan boat | 2 adults + 1 child / ¥1,000 |
Last boat rental varies by season
Boat rental does not remain open until the park’s 23:00 closing time. Wednesdays are regular closing days in December–February, and hours may vary with weather and local conditions.
| Season | Hours / last rental |
|---|---|
| March and October | 09:30–17:20 / 16:20 |
| November–February | 09:30–16:50 / 15:50 |
| April–September | 10:00–17:50 / 16:50 |
| August 1–third Sunday | 10:00–18:20 / 17:20 |
Resting during an evening walk
The park association lists EVERYONEs CAFE and Starbucks at Takenodai Plaza. If you plan to rest at a café and continue walking afterward, remember that food outlets close earlier than the park.
| Facility | Guidance on checked date |
|---|---|
| EVERYONEs CAFE | Weekdays 10:00–21:00; holidays 09:00–21:00; orders until 20:00 |
| Starbucks Ueno Onshi Park | 08:00–21:00 |
Reading the parking information
The first and second car parks listed by the park association are reservation-only facilities for large buses. Ordinary cars cannot be assumed to enter under the same conditions. Accessible parking also has eligibility, facility-use and time restrictions; drivers should ask the operator directly or check nearby general paid parking.
Night walks and train photographs
The linked JOURNAL describes walking from Akihabara through the park at night and photographing a passing train by chance from a bridge over the tracks. The exact bridge has not been identified, so no particular photo spot is invented. Check access restrictions and dark stretches inside and outside the park, and keep pedestrian routes clear while photographing.
Take a look around
Photographed in March 2026The story behind this place
I Went to Tokyo for Miyu,
and Remembered the People, Too
Walking from Akihabara to Ueno
After arriving in Akihabara, I was able to meet the acquaintance who had originally planned to join me at the hotel. We had intended to have dinner, but it was already much later than…
Read this scene ↗Ueno Park’s Different Face after Dark
Walking slowly from Akihabara eventually brought us to Ueno Park. The distance on a map was shorter than I expected, and although we had not set it as a destination, the entrance appeared…
Read this scene ↗