Ueno is Tokyo's cultural heart — a neighbourhood centred on a large park that holds more world-class museums per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in the city. Ueno Park was Japan's first public park, established in 1873 on the grounds of the former Kan'ei-ji temple, and it remains the place where Tokyo comes to see cherry blossoms in early April.
The park's museums are reason enough to visit. The Tokyo National Museum holds nearly 100,000 objects across four buildings — the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. The National Museum of Western Art, designed by Le Corbusier and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a fine collection including Rodin sculptures in the forecourt. The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum focuses on modern Japanese art, and the National Museum of Nature and Science is excellent for children. At the southern end of the park, the Shitamachi Museum recreates a merchant quarter of old Edo.
Ueno Zoo, Japan's oldest, sits in the middle of the park. Below the park to the south, the Ameyoko market — a raucous strip of stalls and shops running alongside the train tracks — started as a black market after World War II and still sells everything from fresh fish to clothing at sharp prices.
Ueno is best reached by the JR Yamanote line to Ueno Station. Use the park exit on the west side.