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Ueno and Yanaka (April 17) · Apr 17, 05:42 PM
Checkout time was between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning. I packed up, folded my sheets, vacuumed the room, and returned my key to get back the 2000 deposit.
I walked to Harajuku station, but stopped in Yoyogi part to eat my last American-made bagel with a foil-package of tuna. Many Japanese restaurants open at 10:30 or 11:00 — I haven’t figured out what they do for breakfast yet. But I won’t complain yet; the sun was out and the fresh green leaves of early spring were glowing in the cool morning.
I crossed the Meiji shrine bridge, empty of cosu-purei kids (they are in school now), and got onto a North-bound JR Yamanote line train to Ueno. The ride took about half an hour, but the crowds cleared out after Shinjuku, and the cushioned seats were unfolded so I had a place to sit for about half the ride.
Out of Ueno station I took Asakusa Dori (Ave.) west to the 6-1 Higashi-Ueno. After a complete circuit of that block I found the hostel bldg. 2. It was too early to check-in, so I gave them my luggage to hold and walked back out. I walked back to the station, intent on exploring the large and oldest-in-Japan public park on the northeast side. On the way I bought a boxed lunch that I ate in the park.
Ueno park doesn’t have sunny lawns or wooded groves; it has temples and museums and a zoo and fountains. Most were closed because it’s Monday, but the Toshogu Shrine was open, as was the attacked peony garden, where I ate a green-tea with red bean jelly ice cream wafer.
I wandered north into the low-rise, laid-back Yanaka. There’s a large and famous cemetery there, and when I wandered off the beaten path I found a local market street where I bought something fried. Maybe it was potato and vegetables.
By now it was check-in time, so I got on the Yamanote line from Nippori back to Ueno. After checking in, I wasted about 2 hours online, then went out for dinner in Higashi-Ueno. First I had a beef and rice tray at a 24 hour place, then I went through the buffet two doors down. I have to eat a little more than most Japanese, so with the excuse of not wanting to be rude and eat too much, I get to try twice as many places.
At the second place I accidentally refused the bowl of rice that comes with every meal.
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“At the second place I accidentally refused the bowl of rice that comes with evey meal.”
~I’m glad you mentioned this.
— bill Apr 18, 05:34 PM #It was very embarassing. I should have also mentioned the time I was about to take a picture of a man at a market and he got upset and told me no. Then I bought food from him.
— Tom Apr 18, 06:09 PM #