In the 6th year of Meiji this became one of the first places in Japan designated as a public park. The others in that first group were Shiba, Asakusa, Fukagawa and Asukayama. It was originally the precinct of Toeizan Kanei-ji, and the 'Onshi' (bestowed) in its name comes from its being granted to the City of Tokyo in the 13th year of Taisho. It consists of the plateau known as Ueno-no-yama and Shinobazu Pond, and its face changes with the season — cherry blossom in spring, lotus in summer, autumn color in the fall. Its strength is that museums, art museums and the zoo are gathered inside the same grounds, so you can build a whole day here alone. Open 5:00 to 23:00; entry outside those hours is not permitted. An easy sequence is to walk around the pond in the quiet of early morning, then go indoors as the museums open.
Why it stays with you