Located in the heart of Ueno, JR Ueno Station is Tokyo's version of the Gare du Nord: the gateway to and from Japan's northeast provinces. Since its completion in 1883, the station has served as a terminus in the great migration to the city by villagers in pursuit of a better life.
Ueno was a place of prominence long before the coming of the railroad. After Ieyasu Tokugawa established his capital here in 1603, 36 subsidiary temples were erected surrounding the Main Hall, and the city of Edo itself expanded to the foot of the hill where the main gate of the Kan-ei-ji once stood. Some of the most important buildings in the temple complex have survived or have been restored and should not be missed.
