UENO

Ueno-koen (Ueno Park), the preeminent attraction to the Shitamachi neighborhood, is a feast of culture with its numerous museums, temples, and shrines. While most people enter the park at the museum plaza, another way to see the park before the museum-fatigue sets in is to start at the south end. From the Shinobazu exit of the Ueno station entrance, up to the small pavilion where the Takamori Saigo statue stands. From there, you continue uphill to the temple complex before heading out, near the zoo, into the museum area.



Also near the south end of the park is Shinobazu-ike, a large pond where you can see lotuses and where you can rent small boats for a serene stint on the water. This pond also has its own temple, Benten-do on an island.

As I made my way on the subway from Akasaka where my hotel is to Ueno, I met a new friend named, Matt. I was on the subway with my nose buried in my travel guide and figuring out the subway when I heard a voice ask me, "You are not from around here are you?". I laughed and looked up and said, "What gave that away?" Long story short, Matt asked if he could walk me out of the station and show me where to enter the park to get to the Ueno Zoo. We chatted for abit about one another and our backgrounds and made plans to meet back up for lunch in a few hours.


This is a statue in Ueno Park of Saigo Takamori, who was the leader of the victorious Meiji forces. Saigo subsequently instigated the Satsuma rebellion against the emperor in 1877, but killed himself when it failed. He was then pardoned, and this statue was erected in 1899.




This is the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. On this day there was a huge draw for an exhibition called, the "The Last Manga Warrior." I loved the warrior poster outside the museum. This exhibition drew a HUGE crowd. The Tokyo Met has several galleries that run temporary displays of contemporary Japanese art. Galleries feature all manner of Western style art and Japanese style works such as sumi-e (ink brush painting) and ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement). Apart from the main gallery, the rental galleries are curated by the artists and collectives who rent them, so exhibitions are a mixed bag.



I passed a baseball field on my walk through Ueno Park. This is a random pick up game that I spotted with only 3 friends practicing pitching and hitting. No sport in Japan is more popular than baseball, and the Tokyo area is home to no fewer than 6 of the country's 12 professional team.




After a nice walk through the park, I finally made it over to the Ueno Zoo. I was able to stop along the way and people watch and take in the beauty of the park. The Ueno Zoo was established in 1882, and this was the first zoo of its kind in Japan. The zoo is very popular with Japanese visitors, for it's charming pandas who are not on view on Fridays. I wonder what happens on Fridays? Are the pandas out all night clubbing in Ginza and they need their sleep? Is that it? ; p Well, here is a nice picture of some school kids leaving the zoo just as I am arriving....




And then I spotted this little adorable boy. He had his hat tilted on his head and was rocking a backpack. He was so excited to go to the zoo!



Here is Shaina and I. Hahaha...just kidding. I love you Shai. I wish you came with me to the zoo this day but alas, you were in class. Anyway, I did not get to see any real pandas this day, so here I am sharing my strawberry shaved ice with a giant fake one! I was pretty bummed that I did not get to see any pandas but this picture made me feel a little bit better.



And because this is just so cute....



The Ueno Zoo has about 2,800 animals, representing about 500 species, as of August 2006. The following animals are NOT on display at the Japanese zoos other than at Ueno Zoo: Aye-ayes, grey gentle lemurs, Phillippine tarsiers, Sulawesi tarsiers, volcano rabbits, lesser mouse deer, Komodo dragon (which I didn't have a chance to see), and Madagascar crested ibises.


This Asiatic elephant was so cute. He/she would have this pattern of walking over to the water and then turn around and walk in a circle and then keep repeating this. I guess I showed up when it was workout time...





This was a display of a shrine that school children and others hung drawings and letters to thank the park after their visit and also notes after an animal had passed away with cards of condolences. The drawings that the children made were the sweetest thing!




I had no idea there was such a thing as a red panda. I was so excited...until I realized it wasn't a panda, panda....the red panda looks a bit like a racoon and has a tail. It took awhile to get a good view of this little guy/girl who was way atop one of the trees. He was so high up that I think he/she could have climbed right over and into the park!





Here is a picture of the adorable Japanese black bear. They were so much fun to watch as they are pretty playful. I also love the cute Japanese couple in the window who are as transfixed watching the bears as I am. We later saw one another and waved from across the exhibit.



When I first walked over to see the Japanese black bears, one was sitting on the ground eating some bamboo, while the other was high atop a tree and peeing on the little one from above. It was quite funny / awkward.




Here is a really beautiful shrine that the Thai government gave to Ueno Zoo as a gift a few years after it opened.



It was getting pretty hot, so I decided to get another strawberry shaved ice. Anyone know what this sign says?



You know what makes me really happy? Shaved ice. See....oh and pandas too, but let's not talk about that.



So this little character accepts donations for the zoo. It is kind of cute and well, what do you think it looks like? Ummm yeah.



After all that shaved ice, naturally I had to go to the bathroom. Well, this was my first encounter with the toilet built into the ground, otherwise know as the squat and pee. It was quite awkward at first but when in Rome...I suppose. It worked out fine, if you were concerned.



By the way, the picture is blurry, not because I was multitasking (silly) but because the odor in the bathroom was not much soothing to the nostrils, so I snapped the shot real fast and then headed out so I could catch my breath.

This landmark 5 story pagoda dates from the 17th century and is a survivor from the original Kanei-ji temple complex. Today it stands in the grounds of the Ueno Zoo. It took me about 5 shots until I was able to take a picture of myself with the pagoda in the background.



After spending almost 2 hours at the park, I headed out. Just outside Ueno Zoo there is a small childrens amusement park called, "Ueno Kodomo Yuen". As you can see it is jam packed with Pikachoo, Thomas the Tank Engine and other random rides.



There were also some really cool street performers around Ueno Park. This street performer outside the Ueno Zoo drew quite an impressive crowd. He was crazy but so funny! He kept throwing the ball super high up in the air and kept missing it and the audience members would go and retrieve the ball for him. Hahaha




She was pretty amazing to listen to. She played french music on her accordion just outside the Tokyo National Museum, also outside the zoo. I don't know why but her outfit and wacky sense of style made me think of one of the lollipop kids from "The Wizard of Oz".



This is a police post in Ueno Park. Pretty cool architecture huh? It was the only modern design next to all the other classically designed buildings within the park.



I had to hurry up as I was about to meet back up with Matt for a sushi lunch.

Stay tuned for the next blog, featuring Matt and I's amazing sushi lunch, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Shinjuku and so much more!!!!!