Walking tour of Ueno Park, Kappabashi shopping street and Asakusa - Friday 7 April 2023
Meeting time and place: 10am at JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
This is a new exit on the upper level towards Uguisudani and Nippori (towards the front of the train if coming from Tokyo or Kanda) and across a street from Ueno Park.
JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
Ueno Park is famous for several museums and home to Ueno Zoo, Japan’s first zoological garden. Ueno Park is also one of Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom spots with more than 1,000 cherry trees though we will be too late this year unfortunately.
After Ueno Park we may catch a 100-yen bus (may use Suica, Pasmo, etc.) for a short ride to Kappabashi Street which is lined with stores selling everything needed by restaurant operators with the exception of fresh food! There are stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, as well as those selling plastic and wax food samples which you see outside many restaurants in Japan. Lunch will hopefully be monjayaki, a type of okonomiyaki.
Food samples in a Kappabashi store - far more expensive than the real thing
Monjayaki
After lunch we will walk though Asakusa Nakamise street, visit Sensō-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate.
Sensō-ji Tempke
Those interested will walk down to the river to board a water bus to Hamarikyu Garden or Hinode Pier depending on timing. It will take 35-40 mins and cost 1,040 yen to Hamarikyu (including entrance to the garden) or 860-1,200 yen to Hinode Pier (depending on the type of boat). Hinode Pier is close to Hinode Yurikamome Light Rail station and about 15 minutes walk to JR Hamamatsuchō Station. For anyone leaving the group in Asakusa, Metro Asakusa and Ginza Line Asakusa Stations are nearby.
Sumida River water bus
