Smoking Areas at Ueno Station & Ueno Park: 2026 Guide (Taito City public smoking areas and Ameyoko)

About this guide and disclaimer

This is a third-party guide compiled from the Taito City official site (https://www.city.taito.lg.jp/) — its smoking rules guidance and its public smoking area web map and list — together with facility official guidance, reflecting the situation as of July 2026. The locations, counts and operating hours of public smoking areas may change without notice. Taito City itself notes that "temporary closures or changes to operating hours may occur due to weather such as typhoons or heavy snow," that "operating hours may be changed suddenly at the operator's discretion," and that "capacity limits are set at some public smoking areas so that people can smoke while following the rules." When you actually go, always confirm the latest locations on Taito City official sources and each facility's official guidance. Smoking by people under 20 is prohibited by law in Japan.

Taito City's smoking rules (Ordinance on the Prevention of Littering and Other Acts)

Taito City put the "Tokyo Taito City Ordinance on the Prevention of Littering" into force in April 1998, and renamed it the "Tokyo Taito City Ordinance on the Prevention of Littering and Other Acts" with an amendment in force from 1 April 2021. According to the city's official guidance, smoking while walking or riding a bicycle is prohibited, as is littering cigarette butts, empty cans and the like. This applies to public places such as roads, parks and plazas. In addition, 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning is designated a "no-smoking time," during which smoking is banned in public places such as roads, parks and plazas (outdoors only). Designated public smoking areas are described as being outside the scope of this no-smoking time.

• Smoking while walking or cycling is banned (roads, parks, plazas and other public places)
• Littering cigarette butts, empty cans and the like is banned
• 7:00–9:00 in the morning is a "no-smoking time" (smoking banned in outdoor public places)
• The city states that "no penalty applies," but manners instructors patrol and give warnings and guidance
• Heated tobacco is covered, as it is included in "manufactured tobacco"

Unlike wards such as Chiyoda and Shinjuku, which impose administrative fines, the Taito City ordinance carries no penalty. However, the absence of a penalty does not mean smoking is acceptable. You may be warned or instructed by manners instructors patrolling the ward, so always smoke at a public smoking area or in a smoking room inside a facility.

Public smoking areas around Ueno Station (main ones, Taito City official)

Taito City publishes a web map and list of public smoking areas, with 31 locations listed as of the 23 July 2026 update. The main public smoking areas around JR Ueno Station on the city's official list are as follows.

• On the JR Ueno Station (Hirokoji Exit) pedestrian deck (Ueno 6-15-14, all day)
• On the JR Ueno Station (Asakusa Exit) pedestrian deck (near Ueno 7-1, all day)
• paspa Ueno (Ueno 7-4-3, Ueno Building 101, 7:00–20:00, excluding weekends, public holidays and the New Year period)
• 7-Eleven Ueno 1-chome (Ueno 1-1-12, 7:00–20:00)
• 7-Eleven Higashi-Ueno 1-chome (Higashi-Ueno 1-7-1, all day)
• Beside the city hall parking exit (Higashi-Ueno 4-5-6, 8:00–19:00, weekdays when the office is open only)

These are examples of public smoking areas published by Taito City. Because all-day public smoking areas are listed on the pedestrian decks at both the Hirokoji Exit and the Asakusa Exit, they are easy options right after leaving JR Ueno Station. On the other hand, we could not confirm official primary information from the railway operator about smoking facilities inside the ticket gates at JR Ueno Station, so this article does not assert their location. Check whether smoking is possible inside the station via station signage, station staff or each railway company's official guidance.

Public smoking areas inside Ueno Park

Several locations in and around Ueno Park (Ueno Onshi Park) also appear on Taito City's official public smoking area list. The park is large and gets especially crowded during cherry blossom season and major exhibitions, so knowing the locations and hours in advance makes getting around easier.

• Behind the Ueno Park police box (Ueno Koen 1-65, all day)
• Beside the Ueno Park Masaoka Shiki Memorial Ball Field (Ueno Koen 5-20, 7:00–18:00)
• Smoking area near the Ueno Onshi Park outdoor stage (Ueno Koen 2, all day)
• Beside the Ikenohata 2-chome public toilet (Ikenohata 2-4, all day)

The spot beside the Masaoka Shiki Memorial Ball Field operates 7:00–18:00, so it cannot be used at night. If you want to smoke around Ueno Park at night, check the spot behind the Ueno Park police box or the one near the Ueno Onshi Park outdoor stage, both listed as all day. Hours and availability at all of these may change.

Public smoking areas toward Ameyoko and Okachimachi

Ameya-Yokocho (Ameyoko), which runs from JR Ueno Station toward Okachimachi Station, is extremely busy, and smoking while walking is banned by ordinance. Taito City's official list includes the following public smoking areas in the Ameyoko and Okachimachi direction.

• Ameyoko Center Building smoking area (Ueno 4-7-8, 1F inside the Ameyoko Center Building, 10:30–19:30; closed on the third Wednesday of every month except December)
• paspa Okachimachi (Ueno 6-9-1, 7:00–20:00, excluding weekends, public holidays and the New Year period)

The Ameyoko Center Building smoking area is indoors and is listed as closed on the third Wednesday of every month except December. paspa Okachimachi is not available on weekends, public holidays or over the New Year, so if you are looking around Okachimachi on a holiday it helps to keep the Ueno Station side options in mind too. Even when you feel like a smoke while shopping, move to a public smoking area rather than smoking in front of shops or on the street.

Rules inside Ueno Zoo, museums and other facilities

For Ueno Zoo, the FAQ on Tokyo Zoo Net (the official site of the Tokyo metropolitan zoos and aquariums) clearly states: "There are no smoking areas. The zoo grounds are non-smoking." The single smoking area inside the zoo was abolished on 12 December 2017, making the grounds non-smoking (announced 22 November 2017). Museums, galleries and halls in Ueno Park differ from facility to facility as to whether smoking is possible and whether smoking rooms exist. This article does not assert the location of smoking rooms at facilities for which we could not confirm official primary information. Check each facility's official site or in-building signage before you visit.

Heated tobacco, e-cigarettes and the revised Health Promotion Act

Since April 2020, the revised Health Promotion Act has been fully in force, making indoor spaces non-smoking in principle. Restaurants and similar venues are in principle indoor non-smoking, and smoking is limited to smoking rooms that meet the standards. Under the Taito City ordinance as well, heated tobacco uses tobacco leaf and is included in "manufactured tobacco" under the Tobacco Business Act, so it is covered by the rules. That means heated tobacco also cannot be used while walking, or in outdoor public places during the no-smoking time. The basic rule is a smoking room indoors and a public smoking area outdoors. For second-hand smoke prevention, use any tobacco only at designated places.

Find nearby smoking areas with MottoSuitai

If you want to find smoking areas around Ueno Station, Ueno Park or elsewhere in Taito City, you can list nearby smoking areas from MottoSuitai's map. The same Taito City rules apply in the Asakusa smoking guide, and for planning a walking route around Tokyo, see the Tokyo walking tour smoking spot guide and the guide to smoking areas at Tokyo's major stations.

Before you go: always check official information

This third-party guide was compiled from the Taito City official smoking rules guidance and public smoking area web map published as of July 2026, together with facility official guidance. The locations, counts and operating hours of public smoking areas may change, and temporary closures can occur due to weather or the operator's circumstances. When you actually go, always confirm the latest information on the Taito City official site (https://www.city.taito.lg.jp/) public smoking area list and web map, and each facility's official guidance.