Opened to the public in 1873, Ueno Park was one of the firt parks built in Japan. Until then, the precincts of temples and shrines were the only large spaces with gardens open to the public. The park is a popular place to admire cherry blossoms in spring and the lotus flowers covering Shinobazu Pond in July. The park is the site of the precincts of Kanei-ji, the fomer shogun’s family temple. It houses the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Ueno Forest, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo Cultural Hall, and the Tokyo Natioal Museum.