Lotus leaves and flowers blanket Shinobazu Pond while over 2000 wind chimes sway in the wind. (©JAPAN Forward by EH Kinmonth)
I frequently cycle or walk from my home office near Oji to Akihabara. The quickest route takes me past Shinobazu no ike (Shinobazu Pond) on the west side of Ueno Park. But I always make a slight detour to ride or walk along the edge of the pond — there is usually something interesting to photograph. Even if there are few flowers in bloom, the chance to look at a pond and greenery is a refreshing change from the asphalt and concrete environment that marks most of my route.
Summer Festival and Lotuses
Depending on the season, the pond attracts large crowds who come to see sakura, ajisai (hydrangea), and hasu (lotus) blossoms.
The lotuses have been in bloom for several weeks and generally continue blooming until mid-August. The park has a summer festival corresponding to the lotus blossom period.
Japanese dance and drumming are on offer. At the conclusion of the festival on August 12, there is a fireworks display for children. A flea market on Sunday mornings offers bric-a-brac that might serve as souvenirs.
Additional food stalls are in place during the festival offering Japanese street food as well as items that would not be out of place at state and county fairs in the United States.
Access and Location
The pond is a short walk to the west from the JR Ueno Station and even closer from the Keisei Line Ueno Station. There is no admission charge, and wheelchair access is good. The pond is not fenced, and the paths around and through it are flat and paved.
Each lotus blossom lasts only three or four days. When the petals drop away, what remains is something that looks like a shower head.
Other Attractions
Rowboats and pedal boats can also be rented. These give a good view of the cherry blossoms in the spring but are confined to a part of the pond separate from the lotus area.
A boardwalk (蓮見) jutting into the lotus area allows close-up viewing and photography. Smartphone cameras can take high-quality photos, although I used a Canon DSLR camera with a 55-250 mm zoom lens for those featured here.
Canopies consisting of over 2000 suspended wind chimes (風鈴) entrance foreign visitors and residents alike. They make for unusual selfies and videos when the slightest breeze sets them moving and tinkling.
The Bentendo temple in the middle of the pond has a rest area and is good for selfies and close-up photos of lotus blossoms.
Best Time to Visit
The earlier you go, the better. Lotus blossoms are open in the early morning but blossoms that are not shaded close as the day progresses.
While cherry blossoms symbolize Japan, lotus blossoms symbolize the Orient, especially Buddhism. Lotus blossoms are a beauty that emerges from muck, just as enlightenment emerges from defilement.
Even if seeing the blossoms at Shinobazu no ike does not lead to enlightenment, you will come away refreshed.
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Author: Earl H Kinmonth
Photographs by EH Kinmonth. Find other stories about Tokyo and nearby areas by Dr Kinmonth.
