Ueno Zoo
恩賜上野動物園
Animals shown in enclosures designed around their natural behaviour.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
What this place is
The Ueno Zoo (恩賜上野動物園, Onshi Ueno Dōbutsuen) is a 14.3-hectare (35-acre) zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opened on March 20, 1882. It is served by Ueno Station, Keisei Ueno Station and Nezu Station, with convenient access from several public transportation networks (JR East, Tokyo Metro and Keisei Electric Railway). The Ueno Zoo Monorail, the first monorail in the country, connected the eastern and western parts of the grounds, however the line was suspended from 2019 onwards due to ageing infrastructure until being announced as closing permanently on 27 December 2023. The zoo is in Ueno Park, a large urban park that is home to museums, a small amusement park, and other attractions. The zoo is closed on Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday).
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Exhibits built so animals move, climb and swim above or around visitors rather than sitting still.
- Species suited to the local climate, including cold-weather animals rarely seen elsewhere.
- Keeper talks that explain individual animals by name, personality and history.
What you can do here
- Follow the keeper-talk timetable — it is the difference between seeing animals and understanding them.
- Visit the popular enclosures right at opening, when the animals are most active.
- Try the feeding or petting experiences if they are offered that day.
- Take the loop bus or shuttle in larger parks; the sites can be surprisingly hilly.
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
Good to know before you go
- Midday in summer is the worst time — most animals sleep and shade is limited.
- Closed Mondays as a rule; winter hours are shorter than summer.
- Strollers are usually rentable at the gate for a small fee.
Traveler reviews
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