Ueno
Ueno
Station is located in Taito
Ward in northern Tokyo. Being the
main station of the area, it is
a major commuter hub and a terminus
for the railways bound for the Tohoku
region (the northeast region) from
Tokyo.
Ueno
Station is served by Tokyo Metro
Ginza and Hibiya Lines; and East
Japan Railway Company Akita Shinkansen,
Hokuriku Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen,
Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen,
Joban, Keihin-Tohoku, Takasaki,
Tohoku Main, and Yamanote Lines.
Ueno
Station is one of the oldest stations
of the city. It was renovated in
2002 giving it a new look. The central
concourse has a wide open space
in the center. A huge wall painting
of the original station has been
placed above the ticket barrier.
The restaurant area is under the
railway tracks.
Ueno
Known
as the Gateway to the North, Ueno
is a district in the northern ward
of Taito just west of Asakusa. It
originated as a small town built
around Kaneiji Temple, later becoming
shitamachi , or “downtown”,
during the Edo period. Today it
is a great market place and known
as the home to Ueno Park, the Zoo,
and some of Tokyo's finest museums.
The marketplace is to the east of
the Station with several small street
markets and hundreds of clothing
shops selling used and new goods,
as well as western style trendy
clothing. The west side of the Ueno
Station is mainly Ueno Park.
Ueno
Park
Ueno
Park is Tokyo's oldest and largest
park located adjacent to Ueno Station.
The site was originally occupied
by Kaneiji Temple, built to guard
Edo Castle from the northeast. During
the Boshin War, the temple was destroyed
and the site, now owned by the Imperial
Family, was opened to the public
in 1873 as a park. In 1924, Emperor
Taisho granted the land to the city
of Tokyo and since then Ueno Park
belongs to the City of Tokyo. The
official name of the park is Ueno
Onshi Koen , meaning "Ueno
Imperial Gift Park".
Today,
Ueno Park is one of the most popular
places in Tokyo. It is a large spacious
park covering an area of 533,981
square meters with over 8,650 trees
and 86,800 shrubs. Most of the trees
at the park are Cherry trees, which
makes Ueno Tokyo's most popular
spot for outdoor hanami
(Cherry blossom viewing) parties
from late March to early April.
Ueno
Park is also home to six museums,
a zoo, a concert hall, a pond, shrines
and monuments. These attractions
have made Ueno Park even more famous
as a tourist and recreation area
among both the Japanese and foreigners.
Attractions
at Ueno Park
Museums:
1.
Tokyo
National Museum
Opened
in 1938, the Tokyo National Museum
is a massive museum housing the
largest collection of Japanese art
in the world. With over six thousand
exhibits spread over five buildings,
Tokyo National Museum is the largest
museum in Japan. The five buildings,
grouped around a courtyard, are:
Honkan
( Japanese
Gallery ): The present
building, designed by Jin Watanabe,
was completed in 1938. Constructed
in eastern architectural design,
the Honokan building was
designated “Important Cultural Property”
of Japan in 2001.
The
Japanese Gallery consists of 24
rooms on 2 floors exhibiting Japanese
art objects from 10,000 B.C. up
to the late 19th century. Ten rooms
on the 1 st Floor have sculptures,
metal work, pottery, katana
, ethnic material, modern art
and the like. Ten rooms on the 2
nd Floor with the title “The Flow
of Japanese Art” have inter-connected
exhibits such as Buddhist Art, Art
of Tea Ceremony, Attire of Military
Elite, Noh and Kabuki, etc. One
room is an event meeting place for
children, and the extra rooms are
for small special exhibitions.
Toyokan
( Asian Gallery
): Inaugurated in 1968,
this three-story building is dedicated
to the art and archaeology of Asia,
including China, Korea, India, Egypt
and the Middle East. The exhibition
rooms are arranged region-wise.
On the 1 st Floor, one room has
sculptures of India and Gandhara
and two rooms have objects from
Egypt, West Asia, Southeast Asia,
and South Asia. The 2 nd Floor is
dedicated to China, with two rooms
exhibiting Chinese artifacts and
archeology, and one room Chinese
painting and calligraphy. One room
is a special exhibit room, and one
is a Lounge. The 3 rd Floor has
2 rooms on art objects from Central
Asia and the Korean peninsula.
Hyokeikan
: Hyokeikan opens
to the public only for temporary
exhibitions and special events.
Built in 1908, the Hyokeikan building
has a beautiful design based on
Western-style architecture of the
period. The building has been designated
as an “Important Cultural Property”.
Heiseikan:
The Heiseikan was opened in 1999
to commemorate the Crown Prince’s
marriage. The building houses the
Japanese Archaeology Gallery on
the first floor, and special exhibition
galleries on the second floor. The
building also contains an auditorium
and a lounge.
The Archaeology Gallery covers Japanese
history from ancient to pre-modern
times through archeological objects.
Some rare objects include Middle
Jomon-period pottery (circa 3500
BC-2000 BC) and terra-cotta figures
(called haniwa) dating from the
4th to the 7th century.
Horyu-ji Homotsukan
(Horyu-ji Treasures Gallery):
This modern museum, designed in
1999 by Yoshio Taniguchi, houses
art objects donated by the Horyuji
Temple. In 1878, the 7th-century
Horyu-ji in Nara presented 319 works
of art in its possession to the
Imperial Household. These objects
were later transferred to the National
Museum in 2000, and since then are
displayed in this specially built
Treasures Gallery.
The Horyu-ji treasures are primarily
from the 7th and 8th centuries and
include sculpture, scrolls, Buddhist
gigaku masks and the like. The museum
also has a small library on the
second floor with computer access
to online library resources in Japanese,
Korean, Chinese, English, French,
and German. A restaurant is located
on the first floor.
The Tokyo National Museum also conducts
research and organizes educational
events related to its collection.
The Research and Information Center,
as it is known, allows visitors
access to its books, magazines,
and large-format art books, as well
as monochrome and color photographs
for research purposes.
There is also a Museum Shop offering
a variety of items based on objects
and motifs in the Museum's collection,
including t-shirts, stationary,
ukiyoe prints, postcards, and many
more. Traditional Japanese crafts
by contemporary artists are also
available.
2. The National Science
Museum
The National Science Museum, with
evolution as its main theme, has
exhibits on practically everything
from flora and fauna, to the solar
system. The Museum consists of three
buildings – the Main Building,
the Midori-Kan Building and the
New Building.
The Main Building,
framed by a steam locomotive on
one side and a 30 meter statue of
a diving blue whale on the other,
has three floors. The first floor
traces evolution of life from the
dinosaurs to Homo Erectus. The second
floor has the theme Natural Selection
and the third floor has diverse
exhibits - plants and animals specific
to Asia, traditional Japanese clocks,
and various items related to exploration
of space.
The New Building
has five floors. The first floor
has fossils and dinosaurs from the
Cretaceous Period; second floor
goes by the theme "Discovery
Plaza"; the third has the theme
"Discovery Wood"; and
the top two floors are reserved
for special exhibitions.
Midori-Kan Building
is the smallest of the three buildings.
It exhibits diverse objects, among
them are the popular stuffed body
of Hachiko (the dog who died waiting
for its master and who’s statue
stands at Shibuya) and the giant
pickled squid!
3. The National Museum of
Western Art
Established in 1959, the National
Museum of Western Art presents Western
art from the 15th to 20th centuries
with the emphasis on France. The
collection was originally started
by business tycoon Kojiro Matsukata
as he toured Europe in the early
1900's. The collection, which includes
works of such artists as Renoir,
Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, and Rodin,
was kept in Europe, but Matsukata
left it to Japan in his will. The
French government sent the collection
to Japan after World War II, and
the artwork was opened to the public
in 1959.
The main building of the National
Museum of Western Art, designed
by the French architect Le Corbusier,
has two floors. The first floor
displays Rodin and French Modern
Sculpture and the second floor has
Italian paintings from before the
17th century; 17th century paintings
from Holland, Spain, France, Flanders
and other places; late Gothic and
northern Renaissance paintings;
and 18th century European paintings.
On the first floor of the New Wing
are post-Impressionists and 20th
century paintings, and the second
floor is occupied by Monet, Rodin,
and Neoclassicism to Impressionism.
In the garden at the entrance of
the Main Building stand three of
Rodin’s sculptures, including
the famous The Thinker. Facilities
at the museum include a shop (selling
stationery and sundry goods featuring
images from NMWA works besides books
on art subjects), and a Café.
There is also a Research Library
with over 24,000 volumes on Western
art history (the majority in Western
languages), magazines, and approximately
37,000 microfiches. Researchers
can use the literature by prior
appointment.
4. The Ueno Royal Museum
The Ueno Royal Museum is a small
museum owned by Japan Art Association,
headed by Prince Hitachinomiya.
Opened in 1972, the museum has no
permanent collection of its own.
It holds special exhibitions of
important cultural assets, primarily
of modern paintings and calligraphy.
It also promotes educational activities
by organizing a members club and
offering art classes and sketch
outings at various locations.
5. Shitamachi Museum
Shitamachi Museum is a small two-floor
museum. Ueno was once the “downtown”
area and as Shitamachi literally
means “downtown”, Shitamachi
Museum seeks to preserve the flavor
of the area's life in the Taisho
Era (roughly the 1910s and 1920s).
It offers a glimpse into the life
of the area with recreated interiors,
furniture, tools, and implements
from the period, with suitably aged
staff providing a warm touch.
The first floor of Shitamachi Museum
has two main displays - a merchant
house and a tenement, intact with
all the right furnishings. Visitors
are allowed to take off their shoes
and enter the rooms. On the second
floor are displays of toys, tools,
and utensils of the time, mainly
donated by people who had grown
up with them and used them. Occasionally
various traditional skills are demonstrated
and visitors are allowed to try
their hands at them.
Shitamachi is a “don’t
miss” museum and a pleasant
experience.
6. Tokyo Metropolitan Art
Museum
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum,
founded in 1926, displays the work
of Japanese contemporary artists.
Displays cover all forms of art
- paintings, sculptures, crafts,
graphic designs, calligraphy, and
so on.
The Museum has six galleries, and
each of the galleries requires a
separate admission charge. Five
of these galleries are hired out
to various art groups, so exhibitions
change periodically. The sixth gallery
is reserved for special exhibitions.
The Museum also holds art lectures
and workshops.
Other attractions:
Concert Hall
The Concert Hall, or Tokyo
Bunka Kaikan, is Tokyo's
most well-known location for the
performance of classical music,
opera, and dance. Located at the
entrance to Ueno Park, Bunka Kaikan
was opened in 1961. It consists
of two halls, conference rooms,
rehearsal rooms, and musical reference
rooms. The large hall has a capacity
of 2,303 and is suitable for orchestral
concerts, musicals and dancing.
The small hall has a capacity of
653 and is suitable for smaller
concerts. There is also a restaurant
with seating for 141 offering Japanese
food and drinks, including beers,
wines and cocktails.
The International Library
of Children’s Literature
The International Library of Children’s
Literature, a part of National Diet
Library, was opened in 2002. The
building, constructed in 1906 and
expanded in 1929, is a unique blend
of architectures from three different
eras and has been designated as
a historic building by the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government. The building
consists of three floors - the first
is the Children’s Library
with a collection of over 177,000
volumes of books and 1,504 serial
titles of children's Japanese literature
as well as literature from other
countries, especially Asia; the
second floor has researchers’
reading rooms; and the third consists
of a museum of general interest
related to books, a media corner,
and a hall.
Ueno Zoo
Ueno Zoo, owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government, is located inside Ueno
Park. Opened in 1882, it is Japan’s
oldest and most famous zoo. It has
a large array of animals and birds
from all over the world, set in
environments of their natural habitats.
Confinement is kept to a minimum.
The Zoo is divided into 63 sections,
like Japanese Animals, Animals of
Africa, a petting Children’s
Zoo, and so on. The main attractions
of the Zoo are its giant pandas,
tigers, and gorillas.
There is also an Ueno Zoo
Monorail located inside
the zoo, which is the first monorail
of the country. This 0.3-km long
suspended monorail connects the
eastern and western parts of the
grounds and operates only on the
days the zoo is open. It costs 150
yen for the 90-second ride.
Shinobazu Pond
Shinobazu Pond is a large pond located
in the southwestern part of Ueno
Park. This beautiful artificial
pond is full of lotuses and water-fowl.
Rowing or pedal boats can be hired
at a price. In the middle of the
pond there a small island on which
stands the picturesque little Bentendo
Temple. This temple is dedicated
to goddess Benzaiten, the goddess
of prosperity and the arts. The
Temple building dates back to 1958,
the original 17th century building
having been destroyed during the
World War II bombardments.
Statue of Saigo Takamori
The massive Statue of Saigo Takamori
inside Ueno Park is one of the best
known monuments in Japan. A popular
local hero, Saigo Takamori is credited
with restoring the Emperor after
bringing an end to the Tokugawa
Shogunate in 1868. It was here in
Ueno Park that Saigo led the imperial
troops against the last of the old
feudal Bakufu forces and defeated
them. Later in 1877, however, discontented
with the new Meiji Government, Saigo
became the leader of the anti-government
Satsuma Rebellion. He was unsuccessful
and committed suicide. The statue
was erected in 1898. Japanese people
revere Saigo Takamori so much that
when after World War II, General
Douglas MacArthur demanded its removal,
people refused to remove it.
Tomb Site of the Shogi-Tai
Soldiers
The Tomb Site of the Shogi-Tai Soldiers
was erected in 1868 to honor the
soldiers killed in the Ueno War.
Ueno War was fought in 1868 between
the armies of the Edo Shogunate
and the Emperor, and the Shogi-Tai
were the Ogawa people who fought
as soldiers in the army of the Shogunate.
After the war, the survivors of
the Shogi-Tai obtained permission
from the Meiji Government and built
the graveyard in honor of the killed
soldiers. The graveyard, or Tomb
Site, was looked after by the Ogawa
clan till 2003 when the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government took over.
Toshogu Shrine
Toshogu Shrine, located at the edge
of Ueno Park, is dedicated to Tokugawa
Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate.
Dating back to 1651, it is one of
Tokyo's most tastefully preserved
shrines. Having miraculously escaped
the disasters of the Battle of Ueno
in 1868, the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake,
and the wartime bombings of Tokyo
in 1945, Toshogu Shrine retains
its original glory with its gold
and green roof and luxurious gilt
walls.
Toshogu Shrine is approached through
a paved tree-lined path under arches.
At the end of the path is the main
gate with one of the three largest
lanterns in Japan standing on the
left side. Both sides of the gate,
also called the Karamon, are carved
with flowers and birds, but what
stand out are the two exquisitely
carved dragons. There are 50 large
copper lanterns in front of the
Karamon, many of them lining the
path approaching the shrine. Each
of these lanterns has been given
as an offering by a daimyo making
a visit. The name of the daimyo
is written at the base of the lantern.
Once inside the gates, the main
Hall of Worship, or the Haiden is
approached. This is where the priests
and shrine maidens participate in
the ceremonies of the Toshogu. The
walls and ceilings of the hall are
covered with paintings believed
to have been painted by the members
of Kano school. Surrounding the
Haiden are intricately carved corridors.
A long wooden wall, called Mizu-Gaki,
is built around the whole Haiden
structure. This wall is also intricately
carved with figures of birds, fish,
and flowers.
In 1873 Toshogu Shrine was declared
a Tokyo Municipal Shrine, and in
1907, the Haiden, Karamon and Mizu-Gaki
were declared National Treasure.
Kaneiji Temple
Kaneiji Temple once occupied the
whole of what is now Ueno Park.
It was built in 1625 by the Buddhist
priest Tenkai, on the request of
the Tokugawa shogun to protect Edo
Castle from the northeast, a direction
considered to be unlucky. Covering
an area of more than a million square
meters, the huge Kaneiji Temple
consisted of several buildings.
Almost the whole of the temple complex
was burned down and destroyed during
the Boshin War of 1868 when the
Shogunate fell to the Imperial forces.
What only remains is the Five-Story
Pagoda which ended up in
the middle of Ueno Park. The present
Kaneiji Temple, tucked away at the
northern edge of Ueno Park, was
relocated from Kitain at Kawagoe,
Saitama prefecture in 1879 in memory
of the old one. The Temple building
is not much to look at, but is important
only from the historical point of
view.
Jomyoin Temple
Jomyoin Temple is located near Kaneiji
Temple. Originally the residence
of one of the 36 priests of Kaneiji,
Jomyoin is now a temple in its own
right. Jamyoin is famous for its
84,000 jizo (statues of the bodhisattva
guardian of children) which are
arranged in rows in the temple grounds
and are a stunning sight.