Ueno Toyko

Ueno is a district that has a lot to offer travelers.  Like many other districts, Ueno is packed with shopping and restaurants of all color and variety.  However, what separates Ueno from other areas is it’s massive park.

One of the largest parks in Tokyo, Ueno Onshi Park houses more than five major museums, a zoo, several shrines, and the Shinobazunoike Pond.  Each of these attractions offers something different and one could spend days exploring all the different exhibits that showcase art, history, and science from all around the world.  The massive trees in Ueno Onshi Park attract many performers on sunny days and one can enjoy a break from the museums to watch magicians, jugglers, and musicians showcasing their skills.

Even the wildlife is friendly in Ueno

The shrine in the pond

Nintendo nerd in me couldn’t help but notice this

I spent a number of days visiting Ueno.  As I was staying in Asakusa district, Ueno was only a couple miles from my hostel.  Though not everyone I know is as eager to walk around a strange city, I found the hike from Asakusa to Ueno to be a grand one!

During my visits I was only able to see a couple of the museums in Ueno, time and budget did not permit me to see all of them.  Then again, a man can only see so many museums in one sitting!  While staying in Tokyo I was able to explore some galleries in the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as the Tokyo National Museum.  The latter of which was very much worth the price of admission, but I’ll tell more about it later.

Ueno is a major junction in the Tokyo Transit system, it’s serviced by Tobu, Tokyo Metro, and JR lines, each having their own Ueno Station (which can be somewhat confusing at times).  However, if you’re looking for a place to enjoy being outside on a pleasant day, Ueno is an ideal place to wander.

Tokyo: Senso-ji Temple

One of the jewels of the Asakusa district in Tokyo is Senso-ji Temple.  As Tokyo’s oldest temple it is perhaps one of its most famous and significant sites.  The original temple was founded in 628 AD and is a prominent Buddhist place of worship.  Though the temple was destroyed during WWII, it has been rebuilt and serves as a stunning attraction to both Japanese and international visitors.

According to the temple’s lore.  The temple was built to house a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon.  Legend has it that two brothers were fishing in the river nearby and discovered the statue in their nets.  Taking it back to Asakusa it was immediately recognized as the statue of a significant deity.  The temple was built over the years to house the statue.  Kannon is known as the Bodhisattva of Compassion.  Many people have been drawn to Senso-ji throughout Japanese history and it has become one of the most significant temples in Japan.  Senso-ji attracts millions of visitors every year from all over the world.  You can read more about Senso-ji here.

You can easily access Senso-ji via the Asakusa Subway station.  From here you can get to the street and find Kaminarimon Gate.  This is Senso-ji Temple’s outermost gate and leads viewers into a Nakamise (shopping street) where one can shop for souvenirs and traditional foods.  This oft busy street funnels one straight into the temple grounds where viewers can admire the temple.  On the temple grounds are a number of places where one can find their written fortune.

 

The temple has a host of fortunes that you can acquire.  Simply donate 100 yen to the temple and pick up the large metal cylinder.  Shake the cylinder and draw a rod from the inside.  The rods are each marked with a particular symbol.  If you can match the symbol on the stick to its corresponding drawer, you can get your fortune!  Granted, I found this task a bit harder than I expected, but then again, I’m not familiar with Japanese characters.  After a hard search I eventually drew forth my fortune and I was rather pleased with it!  I will apparently have good fortune in the spring!

Senso-ji Temple is one of Tokyo’s main attractions.  As such, it’s a BUSY place during the day.  Wading through the crowd to get into the temple can be difficult, if not downright oppressive!   However, it was well worth the visit to see people making offerings and praying to the Bodhisattva enshrined there.  I love to see people praying in temples, as the ritual and practice is fascinating to me.  However, Senso-ji tends to attract more tourists than locals, so wading through the crowd can be a bit irritating.  I returned to Senso-ji the following day early in the morning and found the place quiet.  I much prefer visiting temples in the morning when there are fewer people around.  I found it much more peaceful and rewarding.  Though crowds should hardly keep you from seeing this magnificent sight!

Morning in Sensoji

You can also find the Asakusa shrine next to the main hall of Senso-ji Temple.  This smaller shrine is dedicated to Shinto and is also actively used for worship and prayers.  Though much less grand than Senso-ji, it possesses a similar structure and beauty.

 

Summer Vacation 2015: Tokyo and Nikko

If there is one thing that has been keeping me going for the past few months, it’s been the thought of vacation!

In Korea, busyness is often considered a virtue.  Because of this, people work long hours and tend to only have very short vacations.  I was lucky enough to have stored up some extra vacation days from my contract resigning and so was able to enjoy a full week in Japan, as well as a week at home.  I wish I could say the time off was rejuvenating, but I honestly don’t feel too rested.  Though that may be my own fault for trying to pack so much into a short vacation!

Having done no backpacking since January, I felt it was high time to get out of Korea and explore a new city!  This summer I decided on Tokyo and it’s rural counterpart Nikko.  I was only in Japan for 7 days but I tremendously enjoyed myself!  I love how clean and efficient Japan is, I adore the food, and culture, I like being in unfamiliar and exciting new streets!  It was a great trip and I ran myself ragged trying to see everything!

I had a very simple itinerary.  I did my best to keep it flexible and to learn from mistakes I’d made in previous trips I’d planned.  Arriving early on a Sunday I was in Tokyo for the first three days, and ran to Nikko overnight.  My last couple of nights were spent relaxing in Tokyo before flying home to Busan, happy to rest in my own bed!

I saw so many amazing sights in Japan!  I enjoyed Senso-ji Temple, the Tokyo Skytree, Rogoku Sumo Town, and Ankibahara.  In Nikko I saw incredible temples, gorgeous cemeteries, statues, and scenery!  I let myself loose and wandered the ancient paths to incredible places I had no clue were there to be found!

I look forward to sharing these experiences in detail as the next few weeks unfold and I crave a distraction from teaching!  School has just started again in Korea and I already feel myself aching for Chuseok break at the end of the month!  But more on that later.  For now, I’m still basking in the pleasant glow that comes from gorging on sushi and ramen!

Senso-ji Temple Tokyo

Tokyo Skytree!

Toshogu Shrine

Kangmangafuchi Abyss

Found a waterfall!