Page 126 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

1 INSIDER TIP
UENO PARK More than 1,200 cherry
Sakura Spotting
trees grow on the 133
acres (54 ha) that make
上野公園 up Ueno Park. Over two
weeks every year, more
 J3  Ueno Stn, Hibiya & Ginza lines £ Uguisudani & than 2 million people
EXPERIENCE Northern Tokyo Science: kahaku.go.jp; National Museum of Western ing) picnics. To find out
Ueno Stns, many lines # Hours vary, check websites for
visit the park for hanami
details ∑ Ueno Zoo: tokyo-zoo.net; Tokyo Metropolitan
(cherry-blossom-view-
Art Museum: tobikan.jp; National Museum of Nature and
the best time to sit
Art: nmwa.go.jp
beneath the flowers
in the park, check with
Erupting in a riot of pink cherry blossoms every
the Japan Weather
spring, it is little wonder that Ueno Park, one of
Association (www.jwa.
Tokyo’s most beautiful green spaces, has figured
or.jp/english).
in so many woodblock prints and stories.
Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun, built the Shinobazu Pond (actually three ponds) is an
Kan’ei-ji temple and subtemples in Ueno in the annual stop for thousands of migrating birds.
1600s to negate evil spirits from the northeast. Ueno Park is home to the Tosho-gu Shrine and
Judging by how long the Tokugawas lasted, it Japan’s oldest zoo, as well as a whole host of
was a wise move, and parts of the temple still museums. There’s the Tokyo Metropolitan Art
stand. In 1873, five years after the Battle of Museum, displaying contemporary Japanese
Ueno, when the last supporters of the shogun art, the extensive National Museum of Western
were crushed by imperial forces, the govern- Art, and the National Museum of Nature and
ment designated Ueno a public park. It has been Science, with its jaw-dropping dinosaur skele-
a popular spot ever since for Tokyo locals to tons. Topping them all is the vast Tokyo
relax. As well as its tranquil tree-lined paths, National Museum (p128).

Did You Know?

Before hanami, umemi
(plum-viewing) was
enjoyed during the
Nara period.

People enjoying hanami
picnics under the cherry
blossoms in Ueno Park
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