Had the most beautiful time at the park, has visited to see Sakura by evening lit by lanterns. We did expect something very different, but it was still a great visit. The lanterns were lit up only on one side, not sure if it’s how it’s done everyday or the day we visited was an exception. There were many folks having a get together and having a great time, it was a beautiful walk along with Sakura spotting.
We came here early in the morning and there were already a lot of visitors coming to admire the 800 cherry trees inside the park. A lot of picnic mats were even set up under the trees. We chose not to have a picnic, though, because it was raining days before.
We knew that it would soon be populated around noon so we first went to the most popular spot, Sakura-dori, the tunnel of cherry blossom trees. The sight was spectacularly beautiful. Because there weren't that many visitors yet during that morning, the walkway was very spacious. Enough for each lane to have people doing photoshoots.
Next, we went to our favorite part, the Shinobazu Pond. It was even more beautiful that we made a separate review for it.
After relaxing by the pond, we went to the Hanazono Inari Shrine and Peony Garden. The peony garden was underwhelming because the peonies don't seem like they're well taken care of. Since there was nothing else to see, we went to the Ueno Toshogu Shrine. A lot of stalls were lined up along the path and there were also benches for eating. It's actually disappointing to see how they made the shrine a tourist trap. Moreover, it didn't seem like a nice place to relax because the spaces were too small. Some path stones were also worn down and broken, which made most of the path muddy from the rain.
The Five-Story Pagoda could only be seen properly from inside the Ueno Zoo. Speaking of that zoo, it was actually the place we dislike the most inside Ueno Park. We saw from the reviews that their treatment of the animals is downright animal cruelty, so we didn't even bother going inside. Looking at it from the outside and seeing the people lining up still made us feel sick though.
Anyway, it only took us half a day to explore the park, excluding the museums and the temples beyond it, because the sun was already unbearable around the middle of the day. Next time, we'll come during sunset to witness the lights at night from 5pm to 9pm.
As for the park, there were some obvious signs of aging, as it is one of the oldest parks in Japan. Although the park itself is clean, the toilets aren't updated. Better bring your own soap as well because they have none.
According to my husband, Ueno Park is overrated. The only places we liked were Sakura-dori and Shinobazu Pond. We would love to come back to the pond again to see the lilies. Outside spring (not yet sure for autumn), we don't recommend spending a whole day in Ueno Park.
Bonus recommendation: Don't go to Ameyoko, the nearest shopping street. That place is so dirty, you'd think you stepped outside Japan.
Ueno Park during cherry blossom full bloom was absolutely beautiful.
Food stalls offered a wide variety of street food. However, it's extremely crowded, especially on weekends, which could be overwhelming.
Locals gathered on grassy areas with picnic mats and their own food and booze, created a festive, communal vibe.
Worth visiting but be ready for the hustle and bustle.
