There are many train lines that lead to the Ueno Station, including JR Lines, Tokyo Metro, and the Keisei Line. Without further ado, let’s continue on to Ueno Zoo.

The Ueno Zoo is open from 9:30AM to 5:00PM (with entry until 4:00 PM). Please note that the park is closed on Monday. Admission is 600 yen (tax included).

Once you go through the Main Gate, you will find plenty of information about the park. Grab a park map and check the locations of the animals you want to visit!

The East Garden is usually crowded throughout the day, however the West Garden is relatively empty on weekday mornings. It’s a good idea to arrive early and begin from the West side.

Near the gate are two types of Park Maps, one in Japanese and the other in English, Chinese, and Korean.

The feeding times and location for the Pallas’s Cat and Meerkats are also listed on the map: Small Mammal House (from 2:30PM~3:30PM) and the Aye-aye House (at 3:30PM). The feeding times for the other animals are not publicly listed, so if you are able to catch any one of those in progress, consider yourself lucky!

Located in the hilly area of Ueno Park with its enormous trees is the East Garden, where you will find the Giant Pandas, Gorilla Woods and Tiger Forest, Elephant Forest, and Bear Hill. The Polar Bear and Seal Ocean is also located here.

●Giant Panda

●Tiger

●Gorilla

●Red-Crowned Crane

The West Garden is a scenic area on the shores of Shinobazu Pond which grows thick with lotus plants. Here you will find many animals of African origin, such as giraffes, hippos, and the shoebill. There is also a Children’s Zoo where you can touch and interact with some of the animals!

●Aye-aye

●Shoebill

If you want to learn even more about the animals, I recommend taking the 45 minute guided tour. A Zoo Educator will guide you through the park introducing various themes, such as the eating habits of the animals, and how they go about their daily lives.

The East and West Gardens are connected by Aesop Bridge, which takes about 10 minutes to cross on foot. But if you wish, you can ride the monorail which only takes 90 seconds! However, this monorail is scheduled to close by the end of the year. If you want to ride this first monorail built in Japan, please make sure to do so before it’s gone!

If you start feeling hungry, head to the shops! All around the East and West Gardens are shops that sell foods such as fried chicken, drinks, and ice cream.

I recommend the self-serve food shop in the West Garden, opposite the Small Mammal House: the cafeteria. If you sit near the windows or on the terrace, you can even watch the hippos, rhinoceros, and zebras as you eat.

The cafeteria has a bathroom, a baby changing room, and even a Wi-Fi hotspot. There are English menus available at the order counter, and you can even bring your own lunch.

There is also a popular snack stand on the banks of the West Garden’s Shinobazu Pond, "Cafe Chameleon," which has food and drink such as hot dogs and "Panda Bento."

There are also gift shops, one in each of the East and West Gardens, which sell original animal-themed goodies such as plushies, souvenirs, and sweets. Today the park was crowded with tons of people carrying goods from the shop.

You can also buy necessities such as diapers, batteries, SD cards, and umbrellas, perfect for times when your camera runs out of space, or when it starts raining out of the blue!

At Ueno Zoo, there are a number of free exhibits and hands-on activities specially tailored to kids of all ages at the Children’s Zoo STEP.

Some example programs and activities are "Hands-On Mouse Class", where children can observe and pet cute house mice, and the "Hands-On Guinea Pig Class," where they can touch these small animals while watching a picture-story show. You will need a free ticket for this activity, which you can get at the ticket counter near the Benten Gate, West Garden. Tickets are available from 9:30AM until they run out.

There is also an activity called “Touch me!?” in which you can dare to touch animals such as snakes and lizards and take photos with them. It is held every Sunday from 1:20PM to 1:40PM in the Reptile and Amphibian House. (Not held in rain).

The General Information Center provides help for issues such as lost items and missing children. There are also coin lockers, stroller rentals, and a nursing space for your convenience.

●General Information Center

●Coin Lockers (available from small, from 100 yen)

●Nursing Area

●Stroller Rental Service (500 yen each)

●Restrooms

●Great Value! “Free Entry Days”
There are three days that you can enter Ueno Zoo for free: March 20 (opening day), May 4 (Midori no Hi, or “Greenery Day”), and October 1 (Tomin no Hi, or “Tokyo Citizen’s Day”).

●Navigate the Zoo with the Smartphone App
There is also a local park-walking app for your smartphone, “Tokyo Parks Navi,” available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, which provides information on the ecology and animals of the park.

Of course, you can also visit the Ueno Zoo website, available in English, Chinese, and Korean. Please make sure to take a look before your trip!