Stroll through the Edo atmosphere at Ueno Onshi Park, Japan's first park

Ueno Park, located in Taito Ward, Tokyo, was designated as Japan's first park during the Meiji period, and was part of Ueno Kan'eiji Temple during the Edo period.
Currently, it is a famous spot for cherry blossom viewing, and is also a cultural spot with the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the National Museum of Nature and Science, and a zoo. Why not take a stroll through the Edo period atmosphere of Ueno Park, which still exists today?

Two memorial towers that tell the history of Ueno Park

Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the 15th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, returned to Edo after being defeated in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and after spending time in seclusion at Kan'eiji Temple in Ueno, he moved to Mito.
Afterwards, the hatamoto of the Tokugawa shogunate who were dissatisfied with the new government called themselves the Shogitai and holed up in what is now Ueno Park. The new government forces under the command of Masujiro Omura launched an all-out attack on Ueno.

The memorial tower in the photo is a memorial tower for the Shogitai who died at that time. Because the Shogitai were rebels against the new government, the monument on the memorial tower is not inscribed with Shogitai, but with the words ``Grave of the Fallen in Battle'' in the handwriting of Tesshu Yamaoka, a former shogunate vassal.

The current Ueno Park was the site of Kan'eiji Temple during the Edo period.
The person who founded Kan'eiji Temple was Tenkai Sojo. Tenkai Sojo was a close aide of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who is rumored to have actually been Mitsuhide Akechi, and is said to have served Hidetada and Iemitsu as well, and lived to be 108 years old. After he died in 1643 and was buried on Mt. Nikko, a memorial tower was built here, as well as a tower containing his hair.

The photo shows Tenkai Sojo's Hair Pagoda, which is located very close to the Shogi Taishi Memorial Pagoda.

Feeling like coming to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto ~Kaneiji Temple Kiyomizu Kannondo~

In Ueno Park, there is Kan'eiji Kiyomizu Kannondo, which is a smaller version of Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. This is a nationally important cultural property and was built in 1631.

Shimizu Kannon-do was not damaged during the Ueno War, the Great Kanto Earthquake, or the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and remains as it was back in the day. The principal image here is Yakushi Nyorai.

What you can see in the center of the photo is the ``Tsuki no Matsu,'' which is also famous in Hiroshige Utagawa's ukiyo-e print ``One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.''

Shimizuzaka is the slope of stone steps that leads up to the stage of Shimizu Kannon-do. Although it is smaller than the stage at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, the structure of the stage is actually the same as Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto.

This is Shimizu Kannondo, and in the foreground is the so-called Shimizu Stage. The secret Buddha enshrined in Kannon-do was moved from Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. Basically, it is not open to the public.

It is said that if you throw a wish ball from the stage of Kiyomizu Kannon-do Hall and let it rest on the moon below the stage, your wish will come true. The wish balls come in a set of 5 and are wrapped in a beautiful bean bag-like cloth. There is a white foot mark on the stage. I'll throw it from there.

In the center of the photo is a round bowl covered with white stones.
This is the moon. Now, can you make the wish ball land safely here?

Ueno Toshogu Shrine still remains as it was in the Edo period

The large torii gate of Ueno Toshogu Shrine was dedicated by Tadayo Sakai in 1633 and is an important cultural property of the country. It is known for its sturdiness and did not tip over even during the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Ueno Toshogu Shrine is officially called "Toshogu Shrine," but it is called Ueno Toshogu Shrine to distinguish it from other Toshogu shrines. Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tokugawa Yoshimune, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu are enshrined here.

Ueno Toshogu Shrine was built in 1627 by Todo Takatora at his mansion in Ueno.
It is said that this shrine was created after Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was in critical condition, made a will to Takatora and Amami, asking them to create a place for my soul to rest forever. The ``Botan Garden'' on the grounds is famous, and the ``Peony Festival'' is held from early April to early May.

The Ueno Toshogu Karamon Gate, built in 1651 (Keian 4), is a nationally important cultural property. The roof has the Tokugawa family's trefoil hollyhock emblem. There are carvings of rising and descending dragons created by Jingoro Hidashi on the four plaques inside and outside the pillars. Legend has it that these dragons go to drink water from Shinobazu Pond at night.

Beyond the gate, the shrine building that still stands today was rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1651. It has survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II, and has been passed down to this day.

After that, restoration work was carried out from January 2009 to 2013, and it has been open to the public since 2014, but the inside of the shrine is closed to the public. Masu.

In the grounds of Ueno Toshogu Shrine, there are a total of 48 bronze lanterns dedicated by various feudal lords. All of these are important cultural properties of the country. By the way, the bronze lanterns on the left and right sides of the Ueno Toshogu Karamon gate were donated by the Kishu, Mito, and Owari families, two of the three Tokugawa families.

You may not be familiar with it, but Kan'eiji Temple once had a Great Buddha Hall. At the site is Daibutsuzan Pagoda. It was erected in 1967. It enshrines the Yakushi Sanzon statue, which was once the principal image of Ueno Toshogu Shrine Honjido.

The pagoda is in the front and back of the photo, and the place to the right is where amulets and goods are sold.

To the left of the front pagoda is the face of the former Ueno Great Buddha. The Ueno Great Buddha was built on this site in 1631 with a donation from Hori Naoyori, the lord of the Echigo Murakami domain. It was a seated statue of Shakyamuni Buddha about 6 meters high.

After that, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt due to earthquakes and fires, but after the head fell off in the Great Kanto Earthquake, it could not be rebuilt and was stored in a broken state. It will be lost if left behind. In 1972, the remaining face was installed as a relief in its original location.

Ueno Park is the first park built in Japan.

The photo is of Shinobazu Pond. Next to the building in the middle is Nakajima Bentendo, located at Shinobazu Pond. Shinobazu Pond looks out onto Lake Biwa, and Bentendo Hall on Nakajima looks out onto Benzaiten at Hogonji Temple on Chikubu Island.

Shinobazu Pond in autumn is overgrown with lotuses, and you can't see the water surface at all, but the water surface is underneath the lotus leaves.
This was also the site of Kan'eiji Temple. During the battle between the Shogitai and the new government forces that had set up in Ueno, the site of the former Kan'eiji Temple was designated as Japan's first park in 1873, and it remains today. I am.

How was it?

Speaking of Ueno Park, it is a very popular spot for cherry blossom viewing, but it was originally a sacred place for the Tokugawa family. Most of the important cultural properties from the Edo period that still remain today can be enjoyed without an admission fee, so we recommend it not only as a zoo or museum, but also as a historical spot.

INFORMATION