Ueno Park

Ueno-onshi-koen, or the Ueno Park, is one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing sites in Japan, and there are about 1,200 cherry trees in the park. Every spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, nearly 2 million people visit the park for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing (a custom in which food and alcohol are enjoyed under blooming cherry trees). In the evening, bonbori (paper lanterns) are lit, and the cherry blossoms look fantastic as they appear in the soft illumination of the paper lanterns. There are various festivals held in the summer such as enthusiastic performances by various artists, music concerts on the outdoor stage, and a bon-dance festival. (Bon is a religious observation.) A beautiful autumn foliage can also be viewed, and it attracts many visitors who want to experience a tasteful walk. In winter, there is an exhibition of beautiful peonies at the Ueno Toshogu Shrine, which is situated within the park. Peonies are some of the auspicious flowers celebrating a new year. Also, a zoo, a museum, and an art gallery are placed within the park premises, so the premises is widely known as bunka-no-mori (translated as the forest of culture). It is a two-minute walk from the Ueno Station on the JR (Japan Railways), the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, or the Hibiya Line.