Shrine · Ueno
Ueno Toshogu 上野東照宮
A dazzling gold-leaf shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu tucked inside Ueno Park, a 1651 National Treasure hall, an avenue of some 200 stone and bronze lanterns, and a celebrated peony garden in winter and spring.
Golden hall inner area (adult): ¥700
Peony garden (spring festival, adult): ¥1,000
About
Built in 1627 and rebuilt in its current form by the third shogun Iemitsu in 1651, Ueno Toshogu is a mini Nikko in the middle of Tokyo. The Konjiki-den ("golden hall"), haiden, heiden and honden, is covered in gold leaf and elaborate carvings and has survived the Boshin War, the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 air raids; it is a National Treasure. The approach is lined with around 250 stone and bronze lanterns donated by feudal lords, beside a soaring five-storey pagoda (now within Ueno Zoo's grounds). The Karamon gate's carved ascending and descending dragons are attributed to the master carver Hidari Jingoro. Beside the shrine, the Ueno Toshogu Botan-en peony garden stages a winter-peony season (January to February, with straw shelters over the blooms), a spring peony festival (mid-April to early May) and an autumn dahlia show.
Highlights
- Gold-leaf Konjiki-den main hall (1651), a National Treasure
- Karamon gate with "ascending and descending dragon" carvings attributed to Hidari Jingoro
- Approach lined with ~250 stone and bronze lanterns donated by daimyo
- Views of the five-storey Kan'ei-ji pagoda next door
- Botan-en peony garden: winter peonies under straw hats (Jan–Feb) and spring peony festival (Apr–early May)
Tips
- The grounds are free, but seeing the golden hall up close inside the sukibei fence costs ¥700 (9:30–16:00 Oct–Feb, to 17:00 Mar–Sep).
- Goshuin and charms 9:30–16:00 (Oct–Feb) or 9:30–17:00 (Mar–Sep).
- Combine with Ueno Park's museums and the Shinobazu Pond, it is a 5-minute walk from the Ueno Park exit of JR Ueno.
- Winter peonies are best on a clear January morning; the garden charges a separate entry fee.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09
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Open in the appNearby
- Ueno ZooZoo & Aquarium · 90 m away
- Ueno Toshogu Peony GardenGarden · 190 m away
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art MuseumMuseum · 260 m away
- Ueno ParkPark · 260 m away
- Gojo-ten ShrineShrine · 330 m away
- Sogakudo Concert Hall of the Former Tokyo Music SchoolLandmark & Tower · 380 m away
- Kiyomizu Kannon-dō TempleTemple · 380 m away
- Shitamachi MuseumMuseum · 400 m away