Ueno (2004-04-07)
Ueno (
) is a main shopping district for both locals and visitors.
Its busiest shopping street, Ameyokocho (
) is within a stone's throw
of JR Ueno Station north exit or subway Uenohirokoji (
) station on
the Ginza (
) line. It is lined with discount shops selling
everything
from food to cosmetics. I go there a lot to shop for
grocery. The basement level of the main building in the center of
the street is mostly made up of shops which sell Asian produce and
grocery at a low price. I also shop there often.
Nikinokashi (
) is located on a side street off Ameyokocho which sells
candies and snacks at discount prices. Overseas visitors often
buy omiyage there because you won't find cheaper food gifts anywhere
else in Tokyo. Boxes of cookies, rice crackers and traditional
Japanese sweets are already gift-wrapped stacked up on the side of the
staircase, they're ideal gifts to bring home to friends and families.
Ueno is also famous for its spacious park. People flock there
to see
the thousands of cherry trees in full bloom early April. If
you're planning to join the fun, be ready to wrestle with the crowd
especially on weekends. Some companies even send staff a few days
before cherry trees blossom to pick the best tree to stake out their
place
for the after-work party once the buds finally open up. Then the
rest of the employees and the boss will do
the traditional thing which is to eat and drink themselves silly under
a tree which hardly anyone takes notice of.
There is truly a lot to see in Ueno, especially around this time of
the year.
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