Summer in Ueno: A Cultural Oasis of Cool Retreats and Festive Treats
Tokyo's summers are truly hot. I first visited Ueno in the middle of a sweltering August. To be honest, I thought there might not be as much to see as during the spring cherry blossoms or autumn foliage.
But when I actually went, I found there was surprisingly a lot to enjoy. Sure, walking outside makes you drip with sweat. However, walking in the shade of Ueno Park feels a bit cooler, and entering museums or art galleries is comfortable with air conditioning.
Plus, there are summer-specific joys. The Ueno Summer Festival is lively, and the area around Shinobazu Pond is unexpectedly pleasant in the evening. Eating shaved ice from weekend stalls is also a unique pleasure of this season.
As a tourist destination, summer might be a challenging season, but in this article, I'll introduce ways to enjoy Ueno even in the hot summer, drawing from my own experiences.
Table of Contents
・Summer Attractions in Ueno
・Enjoy the Ueno Summer Festival
・Precautions for Enjoying Summer in Ueno
Summer Attractions in Ueno
Summer in Ueno is brimming with more diverse charms than you might imagine. From the lush green park to cool cultural facilities, and even a nighttime zoo, you can enjoy Ueno's summer from various angles. Here, I'll introduce the summer attractions in Ueno that I actually experienced.
The Charm of Ueno Park
Ueno Park is a wonderful place that makes you forget the summer heat, serving as an oasis in the city. When I first visited, I was overwhelmed by its vast greenery.
While it's certainly quite hot in the sun-exposed areas, a pleasant breeze blows when you enter the shade of the trees.
You can enjoy boat rides on Shinobazu Pond, located in the center of the park. The experience of leisurely rowing a boat while gazing at the blue sky and green scenery reflected on the water's surface is wonderful, making you forget the summer heat.
When I visited, the area was bustling with couples and families, everyone seeming to enjoy the boat rides.
And the "Ueno Summer Festival" is an essential part of talking about summer in Ueno. At the food stalls lined up in the park, you can enjoy various traditional Tokyo street foods.
I particularly liked the combination of cold shaved ice and yakisoba. Enjoying delicious food while cooling off on a hot summer day is, I think, the essence of Tokyo's summer festivals.
Touring Cultural Facilities
The charm of Ueno Park isn't just its nature. Here, numerous cultural facilities are scattered, including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Nature and Science.
These facilities are valuable places where you can experience Tokyo's rich cultural and scientific worlds. Personally, I highly recommend using these cultural facilities as cool retreats during this season.
What particularly left an impression on me was my experience at the Tokyo National Museum. In this museum, which can be called a treasure trove of Japanese art, I ended up spending hours forgetting about the heat.
Enjoying the essence of Tokyo and Japanese history and art in an air-conditioned building is a luxury unique to summer in Ueno.
Also, the National Museum of Nature and Science has exhibits that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It's packed with must-see exhibits like dinosaur skeletal specimens and space displays.
While it's tough to walk around under the scorching sun, the inside of the building is cool, allowing you to leisurely enjoy the exhibits. Also, when moving between facilities, you can use the shade in the park to avoid feeling the intense heat too much.
Touring cultural facilities in Ueno during summer is worth more than just escaping the heat. Please have a wonderful experience of experiencing Tokyo's culture and science while staying comfortable.
Ueno Zoo at Night
The night opening of Ueno Zoo is an unmissable experience when enjoying summer in Ueno. Typically, for about a week in mid-August, Ueno Zoo is specially opened at night.
In 2024, it was held from August 11th to 16th. I had the opportunity to visit this nighttime zoo last year, and I was completely captivated by its charm.
The biggest appeal of the nighttime zoo is seeing the animals in a completely different state than during the day. It's fresh and surprising to see animals that usually look sleepy during the day moving around actively at night.
Also, being able to stroll around the zoo in the cooler evening breeze is a unique pleasure of the summer night opening. This is an ideal option for those who want to avoid the intense daytime heat.
I was tired from the daytime heat, but I was able to spend time comfortably at the nighttime zoo.
When visiting Ueno in summer, please try this special experience.
Website: https://www.tokyo-zoo.net/zoo/ueno/
Enjoy the Ueno Summer Festival
The Ueno Summer Festival is the biggest event coloring Ueno's summer. It's held annually from mid-July to mid-August, and in 2024, it ran for about a month from July 12th to August 12th.
During the festival period, especially on weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), Ueno Park is bustling with lively food stalls. This space, where you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional Tokyo festival, is truly a summer feature.
When I visited, it was Friday evening, but it was already crowded with many people and enveloped in the festival's excitement.
At the stalls, you can enjoy various traditional Tokyo foods and drinks. Yakisoba, shaved ice, goldfish scooping, and other typical Tokyo festival offerings are lined up, and you're drawn in by their smells and bustle.
The sight of people in yukata adding to the festival atmosphere was also impressive.
When visiting Ueno, please enjoy this special summer festival.
Website: https://x.com/uenokanko
Shaved Ice (Kakigori) : A Must-Try Summer Stall Food
Shaved ice (Kakigori) is a traditional dessert representing Tokyo's summer. This cold sweet treat, enjoyed by pouring syrup or condensed milk over finely shaved ice, is the ultimate comfort on a hot summer day.
The charm of shaved ice lies in its diverse flavors. From standard strawberry and Blue Hawaii to Japanese-style flavors like matcha and black honey kinako, the choices are plentiful.
Shaved ice is typically offered at the stalls of the Ueno Summer Festival every year.
The moment when the coldness and sweetness of shaved ice permeate your body tired from the heat is truly a moment of bliss. When you visit the Ueno Summer Festival, please try various types of shaved ice.
Precautions for Enjoying Summer in Ueno
To fully enjoy summer in Ueno, proper preparation and caution are necessary.
From the difficulties I experienced when I first visited Ueno in summer, I'll share the following precautions. Heat measures and crowd measures are particularly important, so I'll explain them in detail.
Heat Measures
Tokyo's summer, especially the heat in Ueno, is more intense than you might imagine. When I first visited Ueno in summer, I was overwhelmed by the intense heat.
However, by taking appropriate measures, you can spend time comfortably. Below, I'll introduce effective heat measures based on my experience.
First and most importantly is frequent hydration. Walking around Ueno Park makes you sweat more than expected. I brought two 500ml bottles of water, but they were gone in no time.
There are vending machines and shops in and around the park, but popular drinks can quickly sell out. If possible, bring at least one liter of water and try to drink every 30 minutes.
Also, drinks containing salt, like barley tea or sports drinks, are effective.
Next, try to use shade. Fortunately, Ueno Park has many large trees, providing plenty of natural shade. When moving, try to choose walking in the shade of trees as much as possible.
Also, taking breaks in cool places is important. Ueno has many art museums and museums, which serve as excellent cool spots.
I visited the Tokyo National Museum around noon, and I was able to cool off very comfortably while experiencing Tokyo's culture in the air-conditioned building. Cafes and restaurants are also good resting places. By taking frequent breaks in cool places, you can prevent exhaustion.
Lastly, appropriate clothing is also important. Choose light, breathable clothes, and don't forget a hat and sunglasses.
By taking these measures, you can comfortably enjoy summer in Ueno. Don't let the heat defeat you, and fully enjoy Ueno's rich culture and nature.
Crowd Measures
Ueno is one of Tokyo's popular tourist spots, and it gets extremely crowded, especially during the summer vacation season in August.
However, by developing an appropriate strategy, you can avoid crowds and enjoy sightseeing more comfortably. Below, I'll introduce effective crowd measures based on my experience.
First, choose your visiting time wisely. If possible, I recommend visiting in the morning or on weekdays. When I first visited on a Saturday afternoon, I got caught up in the crowds.
When I revisited early on Sunday morning the next day, it was surprisingly empty, and I could enjoy sightseeing at a leisurely pace. It's especially effective to aim for right after opening or right after stores open for popular spots like Ueno Zoo and Ameyoko.
For example, the panda enclosure at Ueno Zoo is always popular, and quite a long line forms by noon. By visiting right after opening, I was able to see the pandas up close with almost no wait.
It's also important to avoid lunchtime crowds. Restaurants and cafes are particularly crowded from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.
I entered a restaurant in Ueno from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM and had an early lunch, allowing me to enjoy my meal leisurely.
Also, bringing a bento and eating in Ueno Park is a good option. Having a picnic in the shade is a wonderful way to avoid crowds while enjoying nature. However, be careful of food poisoning in summer.
By implementing these measures, you can enjoy summer in Ueno more comfortably and in a more fulfilling way. By avoiding crowds, you can savor the charm of Ueno more deeply.
Summer in Ueno certainly has the challenge of heat, but it's overflowing with charms that surpass that.
From Ueno Park with its vast greenery, air-conditioned cultural facilities, nighttime zoo, to the lively Ueno Summer Festival, you can enjoy summer from various angles.
Don't be afraid of the heat, and please visit Ueno in summer. I'm sure you'll discover Ueno's unique charms of this season!
