A Ten-Minute Stop in Ueno:Rodin, World Heritage, No Entry Required

Why This Works in Ten Minutes

You can finish this experience in ten minutes.

From Ueno Station’s Park Exit,
it’s about a one-minute walk.

No ticket.
No gallery visit.

Yet you can stand in front of Rodin’s The Thinker,
face The Gates of Hell,
and observe a World Heritage building
designed by Le Corbusier—
all without stepping inside.

This is not a shortcut.
It’s a complete experience.

Outside the Museum

There is a main entrance.
Beyond it, an open plaza.

In that plaza stand two works by Rodin:
The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.

Entering the plaza is free.
Tickets are required only to enter the World Heritage building itself.

On a weekday afternoon, the line stretched far outside.
Not for the galleries—
but for what stands openly in front of them.

You don’t need to enter
to understand why people stop here.

Subject: The Thinker

Subject: The Gates of Hell.

Subject: National Museum of Western Art

Practical Tip (Quietly Important)

Exit matters.

From Ueno Station’s Park Exit,
the plaza of the National Museum of Western Art
is about a one-minute walk.

Choose a different exit—
especially toward Ameyoko—
and you may spend fifteen to twenty minutes circling back.

Knowing which exit to use
is part of the experience.

**Tokyo Smart Take**

World Heritage, yes.
But the value doesn’t start inside.

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