Asakusa, Ueno, and Central Tokyo
Today was my first full day in Japan. I took advantage of my jetlag (and my Steve Smith genes) and hit the road early. I started the morning wandering around Asakusa, a quieter part of the city where my hostel is. I walked through the “Gate of Thunder,” Kaminarimon, along the Nakamise-dori, a pedestrian street that is jam-packed with shops (bustling even at 8am, before anything has opened), and finally to the Senso-ji, which is Tokyo’s biggest, oldest, and most popular Buddhist temple.
From Asakusa I took the subway to Ueno. In Ueno I wandered around Ueno-koen, a massive park that houses more than a half dozen museums, a big pond, and even the Zoo (home of Ling Ling, the giant panda). I spent more than two hours wandering through the park, visiting the Tokyo National Museum and several more temples and shrines.
From Ueno, I took the train down to Central Tokyo and walked around the central business district (which houses most of the financial institutions) and the Imperial Palace. You can’t actually enter the Imperial Palace, but you can walk through the East Gardens and get a feel for the place. And let me tell you, that emperor lives well.
By the time I was done with the gardens it was nearly 4 o’clock. I hobbled back to my hostel and was out cold (for the night) by 7pm. Talk about a full day.
