Ueno Zoo

Ueno Zoo doesn’t get very high marks for a zoo but we decide to visit anyway. From Roppongi it’s a direct shot on the Hibiya line to Ueno. The day of our visit was a very hot day. The walk to Ueno from the station was pleasant due to shade from large trees that lined the path in the Ueno Park.

Panda is Ueno’s biggest attraction and we saw the panda. Personally, the most interesting animals at Ueno were the snow monkeys. They were numerous, loud, active and crazy. We had lunch at the cafeteria and it was great! Air conditioned, clean with lots of nice high chairs, kid plates and spoons and forks, kid friendly bathrooms – could not have asked for a better rest stop.

After lunch we take the monorail across the zoo – a very short ride, break for shaved ice by the lake/large pond and then we see the hippo. The hippo my nephew was clamoring to see from the start. The hippo he had to see immediately even if it meant going all the way across the zoo from where we entered. We managed to stave off his need to see the hippo asap but naturally by the time we reach the hippo, it is totally anti-climatic for everyone.

The walk back to the station was a mini-disaster due to exiting the zoo from a different entry point. The walk from the zoo to the station was ridiculous. I think we were given bad directions and it took like an hour when it should have taken us 15minutes tops! Adults included, we were all hot, tired and cranky. Was the zoo worth it?? Not sure…I hear Tama Zoo is a great one to visit.


http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/ueno/main.html