Shinobazu Pond

The Shinobazu Pond is a pond within Ueno Park, and a historically prominent Shitamachi feature often appearing in history and works of art. The park occupies the site of the former Kan'ei-ji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shōguns, who had built it to guard Edo Castle against the northeast, a direction believed to be unlucky by traditional geomancy.

Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5.

Type: Pond
Description: pond in Tokyo, Japan
Also known as: “Shinobazuno Ike”

Places of Interest

Highlights include Benten Island and Shinobazu no ike Bentendo.

Benten Island

Islet

Photo: Guerinf, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Benten Island is an islet.

Shinobazu no ike Bentendo

Buddhist temple

Photo: Guerinf, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Shinobazu no ike Bentendo is a Buddhist temple.

Ueno Zoo

Zoo

Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain.

The Ueno Zoo is a 14.3-hectare zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opened on March 20, 1882.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include Ueno and Yushima.

Ueno

Photo: z tanuki, CC BY 3.0.

If you want to get a feel for old Tokyo, Ueno in the Taito district is a good place to start. Entirely lacking in high-rise condos or whiz-bang shopping malls, by Tokyo standards it's distinctly downmarket, in contrast to places like Ginza, but that means that eating, shopping and drinking are all affordably priced.