Viewpoint on the sacred lotus flowers

The view over the sacred lotuses

The Tokyo audio-guided tour takes you to the edge of the Shinobazu Pond, where the lotuses come to bloom each summer, forming one of the largest collections of lotuses visible in Japan.

The lotus, symbol of purity

In August, the spectacle is magnificent: the pink and white flowers colour Ueno Park. An emblem of Japan, the lotus is associated with purity, spirituality and rebirth. Purity, because the flower is able to clean itself; spirituality, because according to Buddhist beliefs, Buddha left a lotus flower at each of his steps; rebirth, because the flower closes each evening and blooms again the next day. A built footbridge allows one to admire these flowers up close.

What there is to see

From the footbridge, one contemplates the immense expanse of lotus leaves and flowers that covers this part of the Shinobazu Pond. In the heart of summer, the flowered carpet offers one of the finest landscapes of Ueno Park. It is a poetic stop, in the middle of the city, which illustrates the deep attachment of Japan to this emblematic flower.

Practical information

The view over the lotuses can be discovered at the edge of the Shinobazu Pond, in Ueno Park, in Tokyo. It is a public space freely accessible at all hours and on the level. The flowering of the lotuses takes place in summer, generally in the month of August.

When do the lotuses bloom at the Shinobazu Pond?

In summer, generally in the month of August, when the pink and white flowers cover this part of the pond.

What does the lotus symbolise in Japanese culture?

Purity, spirituality and rebirth, in connection with its properties and with Buddhist beliefs.