Ueno Zoo Tokyo Guide (2026): Is It Still Worth Visiting Without The Pandas?

Is Ueno Zoo still worth visiting now the pandas have gone? For years, giant pandas were the biggest reason many visitors came to Ueno Zoo, our own family included. But that changed in January 2026, when the zoo’s last two pandas were returned to China.

So is Ueno Zoo still worth visiting?

In my opinion yes. It’s still worth visiting Ueno Zoo for some families. But for different reasons to the pandas.

Ueno Zoo is Japan’s oldest zoo, and it’s located right inside the beautiful Ueno park. This means it’s still a great family-friendly stop in Tokyo, especially if you love animals or you’re travelling with kids who love animals, if you need a lower-cost attraction, or if you’re already planning to spend some time in the Ueno area.

Planning a trip to Ueno Zoo? Here’s what to expect in 2026, what to see now, and whether i’d still recommend visiting.

Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!

Important update for 2026: Ueno Zoo no longer has giant pandas

Ueno Zoo was once famous for its beloved giant pandas. But the zoo’s final two giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were returned to China in January 2026.

That means that visitors can no longer see pandas at Ueno Zoo.

If the pandas were the main reason for your visit, you might want to reconsider whether this attraction is still worth adding to your Tokyo itinerary.

Quick Verdict: Should You Visit Ueno Zoo?

Ueno Zoo is still definitely worth visiting if:

• You’re travelling with younger kids or kids that love animals
• You’re already visiting Ueno Park as part of your itinerary
• You’re looking for a lower-cost attraction in Tokyo

Skip visiting Ueno Zoo if:

• You were only visiting because you wanted to see the pandas (they’re definitely gone)
• You have a very short amount of time in Tokyo
• You prefer to experience more immersive attractions

What You Need To Know About Ueno Zoo

Ueno Zoo is home to over 3,000 animals representing approximately 400 different species.

You’ll find a whole host of big animals that kids just love in Ueno Zoo. My boys were totally enamoured by the playful polar bear (splashing in the water), the tall giraffes, and the lazy tiger.

It’s worth noting that Ueno Zoo is divided into two distinct sections: the East Garden and the West Garden. The monorail connecting the two is out of action and undergoing slow renovations, which means you can get between the two areas via a tall bridge (and steep slopes). This might be tough going to navigate with a wheelchair or a heavy buggy. There is a free bus between the two for wheelchair users and disabled passengers: ask about this at the gate.

Ueno Zoo was founded in 1882 and honestly? Some of the enclosures and attractions don’t look much changed since they were first constructed! I’m no expert, but many of the enclosures simply didn’t look big enough for the animals that they had inside. This made me feel a little uncomfortable and disappointed.

I would have loved to see the animals have room to roam. Having said that, there were enrichment opportunities notable in many of the enclosures, and the animals looked well-fed and well-cared for.

But if you don’t feel comfortable with animals in captivity, or worry about the standards that animals are kept in when you visit a zoo, this might be something to consider before you visit.

Ueno Zoo Ticket Prices

I have never been to a zoo anywhere in the world cheaper than Ueno Zoo. I’ve attached the table of ticket prices below, but an overview is that we paid 600 yen (£3.04) per adult and because our boys were both under 12, they went in for free.

You can buy these at the gate, no need to book in advance.

The Animals At Ueno Zoo

Some of the biggest animals you’ll find at Ueno Zoo include giant pandas, elephants, gorillas, and Sumatran tigers.

The larger animals like the elephants, rhinos, and the pandas are in the west garden. There’s also a fascinating tropical house here packed with turtles, fish, snakes, and other reptiles.

If you love monkeys then you’ll find Japanese macaques, black-handed spider monkeys, and white-mantled colobus monkeys here. Although these were some of the animals I felt had very old enclosures.

Finally it’s worth noting that there are many Japanese native animals in the park. These include Japanese serows, Ezo sika deer, Hokkaido brown bears, and various birds like green pheasants and red-crowned cranes

You can find a full list of the animals at Ueno Zoo here.

The Food at Ueno Zoo

In the East Garden, Ueno Zoo has a ramen shop/restaurant with a great reputation. But we had lunch plans, so we didn’t eat here. We did see other people eating though and the food looked good: there were even panda themed noodles!

We stopped for snacks at the outdoor concession stand in the West Garden of Ueno Zoo.

The boys had huge shaved ice cups, and we ordered lemon mochi and cherry blossom mochii, which came with real flower petals and the most delicious cherry glaze. I would highly recommend this delicious snack!

Ueno Zoo Opening Hours

We arrived at Ueno Zoo at around 10.30am in April (the middle of the busy cherry blossom season) and we walked straight in – no lines at all. We arrived later than we might usually because we wanted to see some of the shrines in Ueno Park on our way to the zoo – I highly recommend taking this detour.

Ueno Zoo opens from 9.30am – 5pm. Last admission and last ticket sales are at 4pm. So make sure you arrive before 4: but I would recommend arriving before 3pm, because you’re going to need around 2 hours to explore the zoo (even just the highlights real)

Note: Ueno Zoo is closed on Mondays. The exception to this rule? If a Monday is a national holiday then the zoo will open and then close on the next day (Tuesday) instead.

Shrines in Ueno Zoo

Something that you’ll find in Ueno Zoo that you won’t find in many other zoos in the world are beautiful shrines.

Right next to the park entrance (inside the park) you’ll find the five-story pagoda which was erected in 1631 as part of the Ueno Toshogu shrine, which was formerly part of the Kaneiji precinct. You can’t go inside this pagoda but you can walk around it and its gardens, which are truly beautiful. The boys loved playing here.

Then there’s the shrine at Ueno Zoo which is called Ueno Toshogu Shrine, and is actually located within Ueno Park. It’s a Shinto shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. This sits in the middle of the zoo (between the two gardens) but as you access it from the park, you don’t need a ticket to visit.

Getting There

There are two different stations you can use to access Ueno Zoo depending on which line is most convenient for you and where you’re travelling from. Ueno Zoo is in Ueno Park, and so most people will arrive into Ueno station (this is what we did). From there it’s around a 7 minute stroll through the park to get to the Main Entry Gate.

Alternatively, you could travel to Keisei Ueno Station which is a 4-minute walk to the Benten Gate (West Garden entrance) on the other side of the zoo.

Most tourists don’t drive in Tokyo (it’s just not needed!) but if you are driving in the city it’s worth noting that there is no parking at Ueno Zoo.

Further Reading

Looking for other family-friendly activities in Tokyo? Please don’t scroll away before you’ve checked out these activities that we highly recommend if you’re in Tokyo with kids:

🏰 Tokyo Disneyland Tips for 2025 – What you need to know before you go from a mum whose been!

🐱 The Ultimate Guide to Sanrio Puroland 2025

🎮Visiting Sega Joypolis Tokyo: The ultimate guide

🧙‍♂️Plan your visit to the Harry Potter Studios tour in Tokyo

🎫 Pokemon Tokyo Experiences and Attractions (Perfect for Pokemon fans!)

🗼 Japan with Kids – Going to the top of the Tokyo Tower

I’d love to know if you’ve been to Ueno Zoo and what you thought about it? I had really mixed feeling about this zoo after we visited. While none of the animals appeared mistreated, some of their enclosured looked far too small to my untrained eye. So I’d love to hear your thoughts? Have you been? Is Ueno Zoo a good zoo or one to be avoided? Tell me what you think!

WANT MORE POSTS LIKE THIS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX? HIT SUBSCRIBE BELOW

✓ Subscribed

Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!