Tokyo · Taito, Tokyo

Ueno Park & Shinobazu Pond Course

Facilities at This Course

Course Highlights

• ✓Run through Tokyo's most famous cherry blossom park — over 1,000 sakura trees
• ✓Circle Shinobazu Pond, home to lotus flowers and wild waterfowl
• ✓Pass the Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Zoo, and a row of major art museums
• ✓Flat, paved paths through a serene green oasis in central Taito
• ✓One of Tokyo's best-known golden week and cherry blossom picnic destinations

About This Course

Ueno Park is one of Tokyo's most storied public spaces, established in 1873 and home to over 1,000 cherry trees, a cluster of world-class museums, Ueno Zoo, and the beautiful Shinobazu Pond. The 3 km running course begins at the park's south entrance near Ueno Station, climbs a gentle incline through the main cherry blossom avenue lined with vendors during sakura season, then loops around Shinobazu Pond — a vast lotus-covered lake inhabited by cormorants, herons, and ducks. The pond loop (approximately 2 km on its own) is flat and particularly scenic in summer when the lotus flowers bloom. The course passes by the Tokyo National Museum and Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a cultural backdrop unlike any other running route in Japan. The park opens at 5:00 am, making it ideal for early morning runs before the daytime crowds arrive. Entry is free to the park itself; individual museums and Ueno Zoo charge separate admission. Cherry blossom season (late March to early April) is breathtaking but very busy — arrive before 7:00 am on weekdays for a peaceful run.

Nearby Running Stations

Facilities for changing, storing luggage, and showering before and after your run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about running Ueno Park & Shinobazu Pond Course.