Ueno and Yanaka Culture Art Walking Tour in Old Tokyo
Overview
Available languages
7 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
*Please note that this tour does not use a private vehicle. This tour involves several hours of walking in the outdoors.
*Travel to Ueno station using the JR Yamanote Line to be closest to the PARK GATE exit.
The tour will provide guests with a well-balanced itinerary including museums, a park and nature, shrines and temples, and traditional architecture.
You will walk around the popular and expansive Ueno Park to visit its many temples, shrines, and beautiful landscapes. Known as the place to go if you’re a culture vulture due to its many museums and heritage attractions. You will then visit a bustling and lively retro area of Ueno famous for its old-style shopping arcades and restaurants.
You will then visit a perfect example of a Shitamachi or ’lower city’ in Tokyo, Yanaka. A cozy and traditional neighborhood, not many tourists know about, you will step back in time and enjoy an atmosphere that is very different from many parts of Tokyo.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
National Museum of Nature and Science
You will have an introductory guide to the Museum and its history, as well as being shown some of the main attractions there, including a life sized Blue Whale model, a steam locomotive and the taxidermied body of the beloved and legendary dog Hachiko. The architecture of this Meiji period building is also impressive. The museum is large, so we won’t have time to explore it all, but you can enjoy some free time to explore yourself before we meet back up for our second destination.
Ueno Park
We will then head to Ueno Park to explore the beautiful temples, shrines, and lake to enjoy nature and escape from the busyness of Tokyo. The walk around the park is peaceful and you can enjoy a relaxed and slower pace as your guide tells you all about the history and culture of the area. You will experience a variety of temple and shrine architecture, from a large bronze Buddha face, a walkway of red Torii gates, and even a golden shrine! At the lake, you can enjoy seeing many birds and Koi Carp against the backdrop of high rise buildings.
What‘s Included
Admission fees for the museums and Toshogu Shrine
Local English speaking guide
Food and drink
Trains and transport before and after the tour
Options
Ueno and Yanaka Culture Art Walking Tour in Old Tokyo
Reviews
6 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing time in Ueno
996granta,Mar 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jeff was amazing. He took me throughout all of Ueno and showed me so many cool and easily missable sights. Jeff is very knowledgeable and makes the tour incredibly fun.
Walking Tour Yanaka and Ueno
201dac,May 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beth was excellent, knowledgeable and personable. The entire team was understanding when I was at the wrong meeting point. The tour touched on places that would often be missed.
Five star
517satishk,May 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The guid was very kind and always answered all the questions we asked about Japan and talked gently and politely to us and we enjoyed being around her
Not to be missed
613aimeem,Mar 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beth was the perfect guide to show me the gems I other wise would’ve missed in Ueno Park. On my own I might’ve skipped a national history museum, but she pointed out the beauty of the building as well as some items of historical relevance. We saw several temples and shrines in the park and she spoke to their age, history and uniqueness. There was time to just sit in a beautiful spot, or grab a cool drink as she share more about the Japanese culture and history. The second part was as interesting as the first as we explored a neighborhood of Yanaka and a captivating museum/house/workshop of a Japanese sculptor who had a center of the home peaceful water garden. More gems I would’ve missed if not for our guide. The itinerary works well with lots of interesting destinations but with ease and flexibility. Highly recommend.
A great day with Beth!
clairebT8290DW,Jan 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our walking tour of Ueno and Yakata with our guide, Beth, was delightful and enriching. Beth brought the history of these neighbourhoods to live. With her, we were able to admire temples, shrines and pagodas we would not have found on our own. We visited small, lesser-known museums with rich collections. We strolled through lovely gardens. We particularly appreciated that Beth could adapt the tour to our interests as we went along. We highly recommend this walking tour with her!
Lovely tour in Old Tokyo!
krystalxpink,Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved our full day tour with Beth! :) Great tour for those who love more underrated/less crowded places and want to do relaxing yet rewarding sightseeing through older, cultural parts of Tokyo. There was a good mix of outdoor strolling and indoor museums. We started the morning by meeting Beth in front of Ueno Station, and we had a wonderful stroll through Ueno Park where we did a brief "highlights" tour of National Museum of Nature and Science, and then afterwards saw a really beautiful "hidden gem" temple as well as red torii gates and bronze Buddha. Lunch was at a nearby famous busy shopping street with lots of stores and restaurants. Beth helped us find a nice soba noodle place and taught us how to order food using a ticket machine :) Afternoon was my favorite part, as we explored the Yanaka district. The home of the famous Yanaka sculptor was such a unique museum that we'd never have discovered on our own. It was getting to appreciate art + explore a traditional Japanese home all in one. The cat sculptures were so cute! The rooftop garden was very scenic as well. Yanaka Ginza is a much more unique and "local" shopping alternative to the more touristy regular Ginza. I've been on a hunt for nice matcha bowls in Japan and we discovered them here, made by local artisans and very very reasonably priced. Beth picked out the best stores for us. Very satisfied with our souvenirs! We also got to sample some delicious street snacks as well on the same street! Plus, the street is cat themed...! Finally, we ended with a stroll through Yanaka Cemetery, where we visited a serene temple with one of the nicest Buddha statues I've seen around. You can walk inside the temple if you take off your shoes. Beth was just a lovely tour guide, and she created the whole itinerary on her own. Her passion for what she does clearly shows through. We're so grateful that she shared her cultural knowledge with us! She also gave us some wonderful recommendations for our last remaining days in Tokyo. We can't wait to be back and take another tour! :)
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