Ueno park, Toshogu Shrine and Ameyoko

Monday 19th June. The day was warm and sunny as I travelled across Tokyo to Ueno. It took a while and as usual I got a bit lost in the metro system. I wasn't too impressed by the area I emerged up into from the depths of the city's underground lair. It was a gritty, noisy, dirty place with the usual blocks and some neon but it lacked the glory of Shinjuku and Shibuya. I felt a bit fed up that I had travelled all this way for this, but I tried not to be despondent. I found my bearings on my worn map and headed for the park. Situated in it's grounds are various attractions inluding; The Tokyo national museum, the national science museum, the national museum of western art (including Rodin sculptures and Monet paintings) The Ueno Royal museum, Ueno zoological gardens (first opened in 1882, housing giant pandas and aye ayes. Apparently the gorilla forest and the amphibian reptile house are a must-see.) In addition, there is the Toshogu shrine and the Kaneiji temple, which is the Kanto base of the Tendai school of Buddhism. It was originally built in order to defend the Edo castle but later became the Tokugawa family temple. With all these wonderful things to see I was beginning to feel more excited about Ueno. However, when I arrived outside one of the galleries I discovered it was closed. What a nuisance. So I decided to head for the zoo, but that too was shut! Upon closer inspection of the guidebook I discovered that everything is closed on Mondays. I couldn't believe it. This always happens to me. I have been to Paris three times now and each time the Musee Dorsay was closed! It's so frustrating. At least I live here though and I can go again, but I can't tell you how annoyed I felt.

It was a lovely day though, so I forged on and made a new plan. I soon found myself on a strange old pathway lined with free standing great bronze garden lanterns. At the end of the long walkway stood the 400 year old Toshogu shrine, glowing scarlet and gold in the late afternoon sun. To my left I glimpsed a five story high red pagoda, just visible through the trees. It was so tranquil. I hadn't seen anything like it. It was much smaller than the Meiji Jingu shrine. I payed my 100 yen and passed through the gate onto the pathway surrounding the building. No-one else was around. I followed the old grey paving stones and slipped my shoes off outside as instructed. The interior was dark and actually rather humble in comparison to the ostentation and sheer domineering magnificence of Christian places of worship. It was dilapidated though; the wood and paint not withstanding the effects of time quite as well as stone. I wandered around and soaked up the tranquility. The exterior was more beautiful. An old crow hopped and squawked on the peeling orange paintwork of the terrace in front. I exited and continued to follow the route back out. Some traditional Japanese music started to sound nearby. I then discovered a small memorial to the atomic bomb. It was a granite block strewn with rainbow coloured strings of origami swans, and inside a hollow, behind glass, flickered a flame that had been lit from the actual fire ignited by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The flame would continue to be kept alight as a constant reminder of tragedy.

As I left Ueno park I passed a lot of homeless people lying on benches. They live in the park. I saw their little shacks covered in blue tarpaulins in the woods. That was a bit depressing too. They were all lying on the benches sleeping. What was strange was that they seemed to have formed some kind of community; that they were actually the residents of Ueno park, not just random hobos and drifters. I guess there are a lot of them so it makes sense to stick together....

Back out into the grimy city and across the road, I found my way into the bustling market streets of Ameyoko. Overhead, screeched trains on the flyover, and down each side of the narrow streets, there were stalls and shops selling an array of dried goods including; fish, seaweed, fruits and nuts. There were stalls selling raw fish, sliced cuttlefish, eels and squid. Men held out fresh pineapple and melon on sticks, and the shoppers trawled on through. It was great. I loved it. I always love markets. It was a jumble of shops and pachinko, stacks of dried squid, shouting, TV screens, music, dust, people, noodle bars and happy drug stores. I spent the remainder of my afternoon just walking and taking pictures. Off one clamouring street I found a flight of steps leading up to a small shrine. A man in a grey business suit wafted the smoke burning from incense out out of an urn into his face. It was such a strange juxtaposition of spiritual tradition and peace, quite literally against a frenzy of advertising billboards, trains thundering by and people shopping. As the sun was going down I left Ueno and headed for 'home'.　It had turned out to be a good day really. One should try to avoid indulging disapointments, for they are of one's own doing - the result of expectation. If one expects nothing and is positive about as much as possible then nothing will be a disapointment. This is not pessimism but realism in my opinion, and one of the key ways of achieving happiness. It is easier said than done though. I flicked on my i-pod and made my journey, via the madness of Shinjuku Ekimae, back to Toyoda.