Attractions — Ueno

Nestled on an artificial island in Ueno Park's Shinobazu Pond, Benten-dō Temple offers a serene escape amidst lotus flowers. Beyond its picturesque setting, visitors discover an array of unusual monuments, including dedications to fugu fish and eyeglasses, reflecting unique aspects of Japanese tradition and gratitude.

One of the best dorayaki in Tokyo. Dorayaki are pancakes filled with sweet red bean paste.

A large part of the park is occupied by Shinobazu Pond. In summer the pond is filled with blooming lotuses; in winter it becomes a wintering site for many birds.

This pavilion is famous for its “moon pine”. In Japanese culture, observing nature is important — examples are hanami (cherry‑blossom viewing) and momiji (autumn maple viewing). Another tradition is tsukimi, the autumn festival for viewing the full moon. One branch of the “moon pine” is bent into a circular shape through which the full moon can be admired especially beautifully. The original tree died in the 20th century and was immortalized in Hiroshige’s famous series ‘One Hundred Famous Views of Edo’. In 2012 it was replaced by a new “moon pine”.