Ueno Zoo with Kids (2026): Tickets, Free-Entry Days, Shinobazu Boats & the Science Museum

Is Ueno Zoo good with kids? Highlights and the basics

Short answer: Ueno Zoo has around 300 kinds of animals and affordable tickets (free through 6th grade), which makes it an easy day out with kids. The giant pandas that once symbolized Ueno were returned to China in January 2026 and are no longer here (more on that below), but there’s still plenty to see.

Three reasons it works:

• Affordable tickets: ¥600 for adults, free for children through 6th grade; junior-high students who live or study in Tokyo are also free
• Family facilities: nursing rooms and stroller rentals make it manageable with little ones
• Easy access: right outside the “Park Exit” of JR Ueno Station

Pair it with the Shinobazu Pond boats and the National Museum of Nature and Science and you have a comfortable half- to full-day. Many families visit with grandparents, too — if that’s you, our tips for exploring Tokyo with parents may help.

In this article: highlights, tickets & facilities / the latest on pandas / Shinobazu boats / the Science Museum / half- and full-day plans.

Highlights, tickets, and family facilities

The zoo is split into the East and West Gardens, linked by a bridge. With elephants, gorillas, tigers, polar bears, giraffes, a reptile house, and around 300 species in all, plan on 2–3 hours at a kid’s pace.

Item	Details
Admission	Adults ¥600 / 65+ ¥300 / junior-high ¥200 (free if living or studying in Tokyo) / free through 6th grade
Hours	9:30 – 17:00 (tickets sold until 16:00, one hour before closing)
Closed	Mondays (the next day if a national holiday) / year-end & New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 1)
Annual pass	Adults ¥2,400 / 65+ ¥1,200 (in-person purchase only, photo required)
Nearest station	JR “Ueno Station” (Park Exit) / Tokyo Metro & Keisei “Ueno”

If you’d go four or more times a year, the ¥2,400 annual pass works out cheaper than paying ¥600 each visit.

Free-entry days (adults get in free, too)

Ueno Zoo has a few days when admission is free for adults, too. If your trip lines up with one, even the adult ¥600 fee is waived.

• Anniversary of the zoo’s opening: March 20
• Greenery Day: May 4
• Tokyo Citizens’ Day: October 1

Separately, junior-high students get in free on Children’s Day (May 5) (children through 6th grade are always free). Free days do get crowded, so aim to arrive early.

⚠️ Admission, hours, closing days, and free-entry days can change. Check the official Ueno Zoo site before you go.

Facilities and how to get around

• Nursing rooms & strollers: several nursing rooms in the park, and stroller rentals are available (limited number)
• Great for little ones: the “Children’s Zoo STEP” petting area and the waterfowl on the West Garden’s pond side
• Getting around: there are slopes and steps, so a baby carrier alongside the stroller helps. For strollers on trains, see our Tokyo subway guide for families
• Summer tip: cool off in indoor exhibits like the reptile house, the gorilla enclosure, and the Tiger Forest

Are there pandas at Ueno Zoo? (2026 update)

As of July 2026, there are no pandas at Ueno Zoo. In fact, no zoo in Japan has a panda right now — the first time the country has been panda-free since the first pandas arrived in 1972.

Panda	Status
Ri Ri & Shin Shin (parents)	Returned to China in September 2024
Xiao Xiao & Lei Lei (twins)	Returned to China on January 27, 2026
New pandas	Not confirmed (no official announcement as of July 2026)

“Ueno equals pandas” is a strong association, so if you’re coming specifically for pandas, check the latest news first. There has been reporting about future arrivals, but nothing is confirmed.

⚠️ Panda arrivals are undecided. Check current animal information on the official Ueno Zoo site.

That said — as covered above — Ueno Zoo still has elephants, gorillas, tigers, polar bears, giraffes, and around 300 species. Even without pandas, it’s an easy, enjoyable day with kids.

Shinobazu Pond boats and a break in Ueno Park

Just south of the zoo, boating on Shinobazu Pond is a family favorite. All rates below are per 30 minutes.

Boat	Rate	Capacity
Row boat	¥800 / 30 min	up to 3 adults
Cycle boat (pedal)	¥1,000 / 30 min	2 adults + 1 child
Swan boat	¥1,000 / 30 min	2 adults + 1 child

For little kids, the steadier, pedal-powered cycle boat or swan boat is the safer pick. There are benches around the pond — handy for a rest after all that walking. Ueno Park itself is free to wander and has playgrounds. (Official: Ueno Onshi Park)

Boat hours shift with the season — roughly 10:00 – 17:50 from April to September (last rental about an hour before closing) and shorter in winter. The dock is closed on Wednesdays from December to February.

⚠️ Boat rates, hours, and closing days vary by season and operator. Please confirm on-site or with official sources.

Worth pairing: the National Museum of Nature and Science

Ueno Park is packed with museums and galleries. The one we’d especially recommend with kids is the National Museum of Nature and Science, with full dinosaur skeletons, animal taxidermy, and a life-size blue whale model out front.

Item	Details
Permanent exhibition	Adults & university students ¥630 / free through high school
Hours	9:00 – 17:00
Closed	Mondays (the next day if a holiday) / year-end & New Year
Free-entry days	May 18 (International Museum Day) & Nov 3 (Culture Day) — permanent exhibition

Since it’s free through high school, a family often pays just the ¥630 adult fee to see the dinosaurs and the whale. (Official: National Museum of Nature and Science)

On a rainy day, wrap up the zoo early and move to the museum to keep the day weatherproof. You can also mix in other indoor spots in Tokyo for kids to make wet-weather planning easier.

⚠️ Fees, hours, free-entry days, and special-exhibition dates can change. Check the official site before you go.

Half- and full-day plans for Ueno with kids

Two sample itineraries, depending on everyone’s energy.

Half day (ages 0–3)

Time	Plan
9:30	Ueno Zoo (mainly the East Garden)
11:30	Boats on Shinobazu Pond or a walk around it
12:30	Lunch near Ueno Station, then wrap up

Full day (age 4 to elementary school)

Time	Plan
9:30	Ueno Zoo (East & West Gardens at a relaxed pace)
12:00	Picnic in Ueno Park or lunch nearby
13:30	National Museum of Nature and Science (dinosaurs, whale)
15:30	Finish with a boat on Shinobazu Pond

For lunch, there are plenty of kid-friendly spots around Ueno Station. If you’re not sure where to go, see our guide to kid-friendly restaurants in Tokyo.

Ueno to Asakusa is about 5 minutes on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line with no transfer. If you have time to spare, it pairs well with Asakusa with kids.

Quick reference

Item	Details
Pandas	Returned in Jan 2026; none as of July 2026 (arrivals undecided)
Admission	¥600 adults · free through 6th grade (adults free on free-entry days)
Hours	9:30 – 17:00 / closed Mondays & New Year period
Family facilities	Nursing rooms & stroller rentals
Shinobazu boats	¥800–1,000 per 30 min
Science Museum	Permanent exhibition ¥630 adults · free through high school
Access	JR Ueno Station (Park Exit) / ~5 min to Asakusa on the Ginza Line

That covers planning your day in Ueno. Before we finish, a quick word about what stays with you after the trip.

Keep the day you spent in Ueno, on film

A child pointing at an animal and laughing, small hands working an oar — Ueno is the kind of place where natural family moments happen all day. But parents are usually busy with tickets and maps, and those moments slip by uncaptured.

We help families keep the moments you didn’t manage to film yourselves. If you’re curious, take a look.

👉 See the Tokyo Family Records service

※ Details in this article (panda status, fees, hours, etc.) are current as of July 2026. Panda arrival plans and each facility’s fees, hours, and free-entry days may change — please verify with official sources before your trip.

Photos via Pexels: petting corner, giraffe, elephant, two giraffes, boats on the pond, museum, park pond