The Ueno Toshogu Shrine was built on the same grounds of the Kaneiji Temple in 1627 by two men. One of the men was Todo Takatora, who was a powerful feudal lord (called daimyo in Japanese) and is famous for creating incredible castle designs. The other man was Tenkai Sojo, who has been credited as the brains behind Tokugawa Ieyasu’s actions and helped design the town of Edo (former name of Tokyo).

Ueno Toshogu Shrine has acted as one of the guardian shrines of Tokyo, facing in the direction of “kimon” with the aid of the Kaneiji Temple. The current shrine building was built in 1651. The buildings of shrine, the karamon (Chinese-style gate) and suibeki (wall), surround the main shrine building. The upper part of the wall is decorated with carvings of land creatures. The walls and gate shine with a gold color. Both are designated as national properties because they have overcome several earthquakes and wars, and thus, they represent the incredible architecture of the Edo period (1600-1867).

he torii gate, which is gigantic, made of stone, and is covered in 48 lanterns (an offering from Japanese feudal lords in the Edo period) is designated as an official national property. Although you can enjoy the seasonal views, such as cherry blossoms in spring, the trees turn red in fall, and so on, the shrine boasts an especially magnificent view in the spring and winter. In the spring, you can see more than 500 peonies bloom, and in the winter, more than 200 peonies. The scenery is truly astonishing.