Hotels near Ueno Park

Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Koen) is Tokyo's largest central park at 53 hectares and the heart of the city's museum quarter. Five major museums sit within the park: Tokyo National Museum (the largest art museum in Japan, 5 buildings), the National Museum of Western Art (housing Rodin sculptures, UNESCO-listed Le Corbusier architecture), Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, and Ueno Zoo (the country's oldest zoo, founded 1882).

The park's 800 cherry trees make it one of Japan's top hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots in late March-early April. Shinobazu Pond on the southern edge fills with pink lotus flowers in summer. Tokyo National Museum admission 1000 JPY; National Museum of Western Art 500 JPY; Ueno Zoo 600 JPY. The park itself is free and open 05:00-23:00.

Pro Tip: The Tokyo National Museum's Honkan building is the must-see for Japanese art - the National Treasure room rotates 12 of Japan's most important historical objects every 4-6 weeks. Audio guide 600 JPY is worth the cost; English signage is sparse on older artefacts.