The local people of Ueno spared no effort to love, protect, and nurture the hills of Ueno that had been devastated by the war.

The park's history

1. What is access restriction?

On March 25th, 1873, Uenoyama, the former site of Mount Toei, was designated as Japan's first park, leaving only a portion of the Kan'ei-ji temple grounds, and after much debate, it began as a park. However, the term "park" was a new term to many, and while it makes sense to everyone now, a hundred years ago, it was a new term and so it was natural that it didn't ring a bell.
However, even if it no longer felt like a park, the first thing that made people happy was that the ban on entering the mountain had been lifted. Since 1867, the general public had not been allowed onto the mountain, and even during the cherry blossom season, they had no choice but to make do with the area around Shinobazu Pond. However, with the lifting of the ban, people were able to fully enjoy their long-awaited mountain cherry blossom viewing, even though the mountain had been left in ruins by the war in Ueno.

The Battle of Ueno (1868) from Meng Qi's "The Great War in the East and the West" (Ueno Tourism Association Collection)

In the past, the earliest records show that people were allowed to enter the mountain freely was after the Genroku period. However, even now, after the park was established, there are restrictions prohibiting entry to the mountain.

This prohibits entry at night, which is a measure to prevent crime.

From December 1948, access to the area "from sunset to sunrise" was restricted. This was also during the chaotic period following World War II, a time of hardship when Ueno was known as "Nogami" and when the then Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Tanaka Eiichi, caused a stir by being beaten by a "transvestite" (male prostitute), so naturally it should have been banned.

By 1959, 15 years after the end of the war, supplies had become plentiful and the world had returned to normal, so the number of outdoor lights was increased from 97 to 153, brightening up the park and lifting the restrictions for about a year. However, from 1960 onwards, restrictions were imposed again to prevent crime, from 11pm until sunrise, a period that remains in place to this day.

In this way, parks move along with the times, and it is sad that such measures must be taken when a park that is a paradise for relaxation is being ruined by heartless people, but this is unavoidable given that it is the largest park in Tokyo and a place where many people gather.

2. Park administrator

The landowner of Ueno Park has changed hands many times. Before the Meiji period, it was the land of Kan'ei-ji Temple, which was under the direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate. In the Meiji period, it was designated as a park and was classified as Type 3 government land, and was managed by Tokyo Prefecture.

Illustration of the First Domestic Industrial Exposition (1877), painted by Kiyochika (owned by Hoshino Heijiro)

A picture of the Shinobugaoka Horse Racing Club in Ueno, Tokyo (1884) by Kiyochika (owned by Hoshino Heijiro)

Panoramic view of the Tokyo Taisho Exposition (1914) *Ropeways and escalators appeared.

In 1875, Shinobazu Pond was incorporated and the area was made into a park, but the following year it came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs' Museum Bureau, and in 1882 it became an Imperial estate. However, in 1924 it was donated to the city of Tokyo as a commemoration of the auspicious event of His Majesty the Emperor, and remains so to this day (managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government). Although it is commonly called Ueno Park, the correct name, Ueno Onshi Park, comes from this.

Here, I would like to share a story I heard from Katsuya Onaka (the late advisor to the Association of Parks and Nature Museums), about the circumstances that led to Ueno Park being bestowed upon the city of Tokyo.

In the early Taisho era, Ueno Hill was the site of a constant stream of events and celebrations, but the park itself was apparently poorly maintained. This was because it was managed by the Imperial Household Ministry, which was chock full of rules. For example, even moving a single tree or stone required a hundred bows to the government office. Apparently, when the temporary palace for the Peace Exposition (1922) was being built, the Ministry was called upon 30 times. Such strict regulations meant that even minor maintenance was a huge undertaking. It may be an exaggeration to say that the park was left to deteriorate, but this was neither good for the park nor for the local community. Seeing this situation, the government immediately took action. They asked Shitaya Ward to bestow Ueno Park, and the local people worked together to create a vibrant park.
In 1918, the Shitaya Ward Assembly established an investigative committee (chaired by Nagao Katsuya), which submitted a petition from 3,000 Shitaya Ward residents to the Minister of the Imperial Household through the city of Tokyo. Ultimately, this movement resulted in the park being donated to the city of Tokyo in 1924, and it was with the cooperation of these local people that Ueno Park has grown into a magnificent park.

To digress a little, during the material shortages following World War II, 1,250 cherry trees were planted on Ueno Hill, as well as 10,000 azaleas and 300 double cherry trees, all of which were planted on Ueno Hill by local residents who pooled their funds. Over the nearly century that we have walked alongside Ueno Park, we have had our ups and downs, and even as landowners have changed, we have loved Ueno and have worked hard to nurture Ueno Hill.