Tokyo University

Ueno & Yanesen


Tokyo University (commonly called Tōdai) was founded in 1877 and is Japan's top university. The attractive and leafy campus occupies what was once the estate of the Maeda clan; the Aka-mon (Red Gate) entrance on Hongo-dōri was once part of the clan's villa. Just to the left of this you'll find the Communication Center (open 10am to 6pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday), where you can buy Tōdai products and pick up a map of the campus.

Surrounded by dense greenery, Sanshiro Pond on the Hongo campus is named for the novel by Sōseki Natsume in which the pond appears.

The UMUT Hall of Inspiration is a rather dry section of the University Museum; by far the most interesting display of Tōdai's collection of curiosities is at Intermediatheque.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Ueno & Yanesen attractions

1. Aka-mon

0.19 MILES

The 'red gate' is the most famous of the several entrances to Tokyo University (commonly known as Tōdai). The attractive and leafy campus occupies what…

2. Kyū Iwasaki-teien

0.36 MILES

This grand residence offers a Western-style mansion designed by Josiah Conder in 1896, connected to a Japanese house built by Ōkawa Kijuro at the same…

3. Yokoyama Taikan Memorial Hall

0.38 MILES

Early-20th-century artist Yokoyama Taikan was one of the masters of modern nihonga (Japanese-style painting). Inside his former residence, a traditional…

4. Nezu-jinja

0.48 MILES

Not only is this one of Japan's oldest shrines, it is also among the most beautiful – a tough call in a district packed with attractive, historic…

5. Yushima Tenjin

0.49 MILES

In the 14th century, the spirit of a renowned scholar was enshrined here, leading to the shrine's current popularity: it receives countless students who…

6. Ueno Tōshō-gū

0.51 MILES

This shrine honours Tokugawa Ieyasu, the warlord who unified Japan; it's the (much smaller) Tokyo counterpart to Nikkō's grand Tōshō-gū. Resplendent in…

7. Benten-dō

0.51 MILES

Take a stroll down the causeway leading to the island on which Benten-dō stands. The temple is dedicated to Benzaiten, the Buddhist goddess of the arts,…

8. Shinobazu-ike

0.52 MILES

A key feature of Ueno-kōen is this large, natural pond, much of which is completely covered with giant lotuses that bloom in summer. Go bird- and botany…