Hello! This is Nele, reporter for Origami.
This time, I went to a town in eastern Tokyo, Ueno!
Also called the “gate to the north” since all major train lines connecting Tokyo to the north go through Ueno Station, this is the station everyone gets off when moving to Tokyo from the north.
Today, I`ll introduce a few of Ueno`s fun features.
Let`s have a walk through Ueno Zoo, home to two Giant Pandas, a species almost extinct, and Ame Yoko, a town where you can still feel something that remained from old Tokyo!
It was a cold day in February but nice and sunny weather, perfect for a stroll ♪
Hanazono Inari Shrine – A Place to Relax
A beautiful shrine I found on our way from Ueno Station to the zoo.
Since we are already here, let me introduce some of the rules of visiting a shrine!
1. If you pass a torii (the red gates on the photo), show respect for the Gods by making a slight bow.
2. At the water basin close to the main shrine, wash your hands and mouth.
With the ladle, wash your left hand first and your right hand second. Put some water from the ladle on the palm of your hand and wash your mouth with your hand. Be careful not to put the ladle directly to your mouth! After washing, put the ladle back down the way it was before.
3. When approaching the main shrine, put a money offering in the offertory box.
You can put in as much money as you like. Most people put in a 5 Yen coin.
4. Ring the bell.
5. Bow two times, clap twice, and pray while bowing one more time.
What do you guys usually wish for?
As for Hanazono Shrine, it is said to be a place filled with energy and good for those who wish for love.
Hanazono Shrine
Tokyo, Taito-ku, Ueno-koen 4-17
Ueno Zoo
We took a small detour on our way, but finally, Ueno Zoo!
The entrance fee is 600 Yen for adults, 200 Yen for middle school students, 300 Yen for seniors over 65 years old and FREE for children up to 12 years old! Good news for those who visit with their family and kids.
The tickets. I`m excited to go already!!
Right behind the entrance, you cannot miss it, the panda! It was just having its breakfast, and relaxing while doing so. It was really cute and I was overwhelmed to see a real panda.
Seeing a seal up close like this was the first time for me. They came close to the glass when I was looking, swam back to the back of their basin and back to the glass again, it really looked like fun.
Of course there are also lions and elephants to see, but don`t you think sometimes that you would like to go closer and really touch the animals? If yes, then visit Nakayoshi Plaza, where you can play with goats, horses or lamas. There are certain times when you can even feed the animals!
Ueno Zoo
Tokyo, Taito-ku, Ueno-koen 9-83
http://www.ueno-panda.jp/
Shinobazu Pond
This pond is famous for beautiful lotus flowers. But remember it`s still February? Well… unfortunately they are not blooming yet.
Come back in July and they`ll look like this!
Gojoten Shrine
These wooden tablets called “ema” are good luck charms. If you write your wish on it and tie them next to the others, your wish is said to come true. I had a look at them, and there were all kinds of ema written in all kinds of languages!
Let`s try and pull a fortune-telling paper strip (omikuji).
Well… I only got a “small fortune”.
There are different kinds with the list going from great fortune, middle fortune, small fortune, fortune, ending fortune, curse and finally great curse. With my small fortune, I guess I`m kind of in the middle, but looking at the list I`m just glad I didn`t get cursed.
But still, let`s tie it next to the others just in case. If you are not content with your fortune, you tie and leave it at the shrine like this.
Gojoten Shrine
Tokyo, Taito-ku, Ueno-koen 4-17
http://www.gojotenjinja.jp/
Ame Yoko
When stepping out of Ueno Station, Ame Yoko spreads out right in front of you. Many stores cramped close together line the street. It`s around noon on a weekday, but the streets are full with customers.
This street was the place where the black markets came up after the war. There is still an “retro” atmosphere of Tokyo`s old downtown in the streets.
A store in Ame Yoko
Fresh fruit
Clothing
Fresh seafood
As you can see, Ame Yoko is a street market with all kinds of products like fresh seafood, seaweed, meat, clothes, jewelry, cosmetics… surprisingly everything.
What`s really worth seeing is the communication between the shop owners who praise their products in front of the store and the customers. This is something you do not see in a supermarket.
The Food Court at the Basement Floor of Ame Yoko Center Building
This is where you can catch a glimpse of yet another atmosphere. Ten stores selling food and ingredients from China, Korea, Thailand and other countries line up down here.
This is a totally different feeling from what you can experience in everyday Japan. They sell for example:
All kinds of spices
Mountains of fresh meat
Or fish you do not usually see at your local supermarket, and much more.
The Bar Under a Railroad Bridge
By now, we are getting tired, so let`s have a break.
Since today`s topic is “Ueno”, let`s go somewhere with an “Ueno” atmosphere. How about a pub under a railroad bridge.
It`s still noon, but the customers are already pretty drunk. It seems like they are not used to foreigners coming to their pub, and they keep trying to start conversations with me, but them being drunk and me being sober, no matter how much I try I cannot keep up with them…
But I`ll keep trying.
And finally, there comes the food we ordered.
But, somehow we are too busy to actually eat…
I think the waiters felt sorry for us and finally got the two older men on both sides next to us to go home.
Now I feel kind of sorry and like we`ve disturbed them.
But the seat next to us fills up again soon. A comparably sober guy. Apparently he is a fashion designer.
By the way, have you heard of Hoppy?
When beer was still a luxury good, Hoppy was invented as a substitute for beer – beer mixed (watered down) with shochu (Japanese liquor). The shochu and the Hoppy can be ordered separately.
This might be a pub where it takes some courage to enter, especially as a female foreigner.
But if you give it a try, you can experience a whole different kind of Tokyo, and catch a glimpse at the lifestyle and conversations of the people actually living in downtown Ueno. If you come to Ame Yoko, you should definitely visit one of the pubs under the railroad bridge!
And last…
What do you think of Ueno?
Of course, there are much more places to visit apart from the ones I introduced. Ueno Park is famous for its gorgeous cherry blossoms, and if you are looking for something strange, I heard that there is a restaurant where you can eat snakes. At the next station, there is a whole shopping street for jewelry and ornaments. Ueno is a town you cannot explore in its whole in only one day, there is so much to discover. Come visit and make your own fun discoveries!
