Visitors walk up stairs before entering the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, one of many shrines at Ueno Park. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
Visitors walk up stairs before entering the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, one of many shrines at Ueno Park. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
A Japanese couple walks through archways to a shrine in Ueno Park. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
Visitors can paddle a small boat or enjoy a walk around Shinobazu Pond at Ueno Zoo. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
A rhinoceros is clearly labeled in English for visitors at Ueno Zoo. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
One of the major attractions at Ueno Zoo is the giant panda, Ling Ling. (Christopher B. Stoltz / S&S)
Lions. Tigers.Pandas. Komodo dragons.
Oh, my!
The Ueno Zoo in Tokyo has them all and then some.
Known for its nightlife, restaurants and shopping, the Ueno district is a great place for a day trip. And if you have kids or just enjoy animals, a stop at the zoo is a must.
The zoo is within the confines of Ueno Park, directly across the street from the Ueno Station.
The walk through the park takes you past shrines, museums and the occasional street performer.
Once at the zoo’s gate, you can buy a ticket at one of the machines outside. Once inside, you will find one of the zoo’s main attractions: Ling Ling, a giant panda.
From there you can check out elephants from Thailand and India, and the rest of the 2,800 fauna representing about 500 species of the animal kingdom.
Unlike many zoos that exhibit similar animals in the same vicinity, at this zoo you can see penguins next to kangaroos and emus next to monkeys.
Give yourself a couple of hours to check the zoo out. There’s also a monorail available to navigate the 34-acre zoo, which was founded in 1882.
