Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station is a designated historical structure of Tokyo. In line with its opening for public viewing, it has been revealed that new installations will be set up as part of the ‘UENOYES’ project.
UENOYES was set up to promote the art and culture of Ueno Park and its surrounding areas to the rest of the world. Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station is next on the list of historical structures in Ueno to be showcased. Part of the station building will be accessible to the public in co-operation with Keisei Electric Railway and Tokyo University of the Arts. It will turn into a cultural platform where people can communicate with one another.
The installations can be enjoyed while reading into stories based on research in Ueno. Original stories have been collected from the voices of many people including director Hitsujiya Shirotama as well as members of staff from the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, Ueno Zoo, Keisei Electric Railway and elsewhere. The space is also dsigned by Sakata Akiko who works in stage design.
Guests will be led by guides as music plays both above ground and underground in the station building.
3D-printed skeletal replicas of animals can also be found at the exhibition which are printed by Kento Mori of the National Museum of Nature and Science.
Discover a new side of Ueno by following the UENOYES project.
Information
Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station
Running: Fridays & Weekends from November 23, 2018 – February 24, 2019 (*Closed Dec 28-30)
Tim: 11:00-16:00 (Last Entries 15:30 / Limited access during busy times)
Price: Free
*Please check the official UENOYES website for details on how to attend.
In accordance with Ueno Museum Week which is running from May 5 to May 20, the new Panda Bus is being introduced at Ueno no Renkai, Ueno Marui and Matsuzakaya Ueno and can be ridden for free.
Since the birth of Xiang Xiang, the giant panda living at Ueno Zoo, there has been panda fever in Ueno. Keeping with the excitement, the new panda bus will now ride around the town.
Sitting inside the bus will be plushies of Daimaru and Matsuzakaya's original character Sakura Panda along with black and white panda plushies.
The seat covers also have panda ears on them. If you're a panda lover then be sure to look out for the Panda Bus and climb aboard!
■Information
Panda Bus - Departure Times 9:00-12:00 / 13:00-18:00
*Not running at 12:00-13:00
Departure Points & Timetable Matsuzakaya Ueno: Every 30 minutes on the hour (xx:00) and half past (xx:30) Tokyo National Museum: Every 30 minutes at quarter-past (xx:15) and quarter-to (xx:45) Ueno Marui: Every 30 minutes at twenty-five-past (xx:25) and five-to (xx:55)
*Depending on unpredictable circumstances the bus may arrive late.
*The bus seats 23 passengers, so there may be a chance you cannot board.
Ueno has Tokyo’s first art museum, museum and zoo and is a suitable place to visit for those of you who are interested in the history of Tokyo’s downtown.
“The Ueno Royal Museum” does not have a permanent exhibition but rather holds rotating exhibitions such as the “Ueno no Mori Museum Taishoten (exhibition of award-winning works)” and “Nihon no Shizen wo Egaku Ten (exhibition of paintings of nature)” on a regular basis. An original letter paper with the illustration of the Takamori Saigo’s statue is sold at the museum shop since the statue is located near the museum.
■Information
The Ueno Royal Museum
Address: 1-2, Ueno Park, Taitoku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3833-4191
Business hours: 10:00 to 17:00
※The content of the exhibitions might change
Fixed holiday: not fixed ※differs depending on the exhibition
“National Museum of Science and Nature” is a museum where you can learn about the evolution of human-kind, various animals/plants and the development of science technology. It is the only conclusive science/nature museum in Japan which has more than 4.52 million items. The skeletal preparations of Futabasaurus suzukii and T-Rex and the stuffed specimen of animals including threatened species have a tremendous impact.
■Information
National Museum of Science and Nature
Address: 7-20, Ueno Park, Taitoku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-5777-8600 (hello dial)
Business hours: 9:00～17:00 / Friday, Saturday – until 20:00 (last entrance – 30 minutes before closing time)
Fixed holiday: Monday (Tuesday will become a holiday when Monday is a national holiday)
The closing date might be changed while special exhibitions are held.
TOKYO METROPOLITAN MUSEUM is the first public museum in Japan which was established on 1926. In addition to large exhibitions where you can observe quality works from both home and abroad, they hold various rotating exhibitions and public invitation exhibitions. You can also enjoy eating/drinking in the restaurants inside the museum. Both western-style restaurants and Japanese-style restaurants where you can eat soba (buckwheat noodles) and donburis are available.
■Information
TOKYO METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
Address: 8-36, Ueno Park, Taitoku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3823-6921
Business hours: 9:30 to 17:30 (last entrance – 17:00)
Friday of August – 9:30 to 21:00
Fixed holiday: First and third Monday (the museum will be opened if Friday or Monday is a national holiday and will be closed on the next day)
Special exhibitions and rotating exhibitions will be held every Monday (the museum will be opened if Friday or Monday is a national holiday and will be closed on the next day)
Please note that the museum might be closed or opened irregularly during the year’s end and New Year’s holidays.
Galant is loved by many people since its opening back in 1977. This year marks the 40th anniversary of this popular café. The most popular item on the menu is the chocolate parfait (￥900 tax incl.). It is stuffed with cream all the way to the middle. For people who love sweet things this is an irresistible delight.
“Ueno Land” which was opened in Ecute Ueno with the concept of “with harmony” and with the theme of coexistence in the Ueno area is offering new kinds of souvenirs with the keywords of Ueno’s history, culture and art. The souvenirs are produced by art museums and museums located in the Ueno area. You can buy many limited items including a figure using the motif of a panda bear cat which is known as the symbol of Ueno.
The first restaurant was opened along Kokusaidori street in Naha, Okinawa and the second restaurant was opened in Ueno, Tokyo. With staff permission, at certain times during the day, guests are permitted to enter the squirrel monkey area, feed them and get to know them! The permanent staff team can speak many different languages. Staff members who are able to correspond with customers in English and Chinese are also permanently positioned at the establishment. Menus in English and Chinese are also available. Don’t miss out on your chance to enjoy the authentic foods of Okinawa, such as homemade meat taco rice or Awamori - an alcoholic beverage unique to Okinawa.
It is known as a new sightseeing spot in Ueno and was opened as a shopping facility for adults. The target range is persons 30 to 50 years old, which is a higher age range than other PARCOs. The area around Ueno Okachimachi is one of the most famous downtowns which was established during the Edo Period and many artisans who have been running their businesses from generation to generation reside in this area. PARCO_ya is a new type of space which has the atmospheres of “PARCO” and “downtown.”
■Information
PARCO_ya
Address: 3-24-6, Ueno, Taitoku, Tokyo
Business hours: 10:00 to 20:00, 6F, restaurant floor 11:00 to 23:00
“It’s a mysterious café vacuum sealed with an energy that feels like it’s the time of the Japanese economic miracle”
We’re at the third installment of this series where we take a stroll to old-fashioned cafes filled with a sense of nostalgia.
I, Ema Tanioka, will be introducing to you another retro café that I am in love with. Today, we go to “Galant” in Ueno, a town where the Showa mood still lingers.
Galant has continued to be loved by many people since it opened its doors back in 1977. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the popular café. “Galant” sounds a little space-y, don’t you think? It’s a little different from the norm. When I enquired to the staff about the origin of the café’s name, they told me that it comes from the Mitsubishi Galant as the owner is a fan of cars. To think that a car’s name became the name of a café! But it has a ring to it and is easy to remember, so it might actually be a huge success.
Anyway, without further ado, let’s make our way there!
Galant is on the 2nd floor of this building. As you head up the stairs, it no longer felt like I was in the real world. A completely different world opened before me. Because of the entrance’s chic brickwork, I was surprised by the dazzling lights floating inside.
And here!
Here too! There was so much sparkle.
The first thing to peak my interest was the uniform the staff were wearing. So cute... You don’t see that red & yellow combination much these days. It helped amplify that retro mood of the café even more.
The male staff wore red & black! Black was the base colour and had that well defined, guy-like feel to it. Together with the checkered vests, it completed that retro look. It was wonderful. The café was also playing popular Showa era songs. I really felt like I had stepped back in time.
And then... and then! The menu arrived!
The most popular item on the menu is the chocolate parfait (￥900 tax incl.). It was absolutely stuffed with cream all the way to the middle. For people who love sweet things this is an irresistible delight. By the way, I must ask, what do you do when it comes to the cherry on top of the parfait? The truth is, I absolutely love parfaits, but I’m really not into the cherry – I usually leave it until the end. Even though it looks so cute on the parfait...
Another item is the cream soda (￥750 tax incl.). When going to a café, you just have to get a cream soda!! It’s because you don’t see them around much besides at cafes and family restaurants, so I’m the person that ends up ordering one unintentionally when if I see it on the menu.
There’s a nice fat serving of ice cream in there. It’s a drink you can enjoy that has the aesthetic of a dessert. The melon soda is crystal clear like a precious gem. The best part about cream soda is how the ice cream slowly melts into the drink. It’s pretty fun to watch!
Galant is the kind of café where the more you get to know it, the more you start to love it. Its fans have been supporting it for many years, and even when I become a grandma in the future, I reckon it’ll still be bustling all the same.
■Information
Galant (ギャラン)
Address: 6-14-4 Ueno, Taitō, Tokyo
Open: 8:00-23:00
Open all week.
Access: 2-minutes’ walk from Ueno Station via the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line / 1-minutes’ walk from Exit 5b at Ueno Station via the Hibiya Line
URL：https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1311/A131101/13039759/
Model＆Writer：Ema Tanioku
Profile：Ema and Eri Tanioku are well-known Aomoji-kei twin models that go by their duo name “EmaEri.” Their twin-like fashion co-ordination and cute looks have earned them a fast growing fan base. They are officially appointed tourism ambassadors and work both in Japan and overseas to promote Harajuku culture. They work as fashion models in a wide range of areas and have appeared in fashion magazines as well as on TV, in dramas, movies and more. Instagram：@ematanioku
Photograph：Haruka Yamamoto
Editor：Ryoichi Komaba
Design：Yuko Abe（ASOBISYSTEM）
Translation：Joshua Kitosi-Isanga
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