Ameyoko
National Museum of Western Art
| Just west of Asakusa is Ueno, another busy district where the
flavor of old downtown Tokyo lingers on. A shopping street called Ameyoko, renowned
as a bargain lover's mecca, runs along the Yamanote train line from Ueno Station
to adjacent Okachimachi Station. Ameyoko is crammed with nearly 500 shops, whose
proprietors loudly hawk everything from fresh fish and confections to clothing
and sporting goods. The atmosphere becomes particularly raucous around the end
of the year, when it seems as if the entire population of Tokyo comes here looking
for low-priced ingredients to use in the special dishes eaten during the New Year
holiday period. But Ueno also has a more culturally refined side. Inside Ueno Park are several world-class museums, including the National Museum of Western Art, the Tokyo National Museum, and the National Science Museum. The collection of the National Museum of Western Art contains several famous sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including The Gates of Hell, The Thinker, and The Burghers of Calais. And the museum building itself was designed by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Also located inside Ueno Park is Ueno Zoo - naturally a favorite among the kids - where the giant pandas are the star attraction. To the northwest of Ueno are the hilly, narrow streets of Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi. These traditional neighborhoods, which managed to escape the ravages of the great earthquake of 1923 and the World War II bombings, are among the few places where the old Tokyo cityscape remains intact. Furniture makers, metalworkers, and other practitioners of traditional crafts flourish here. The atmosphere, at once casual and tinged with nostalgia, is mysterious. The center of activity in this quiet town is the Yanaka Ginza Shopping Center, which retains a retro ambience in tribute to the area's historic character. Walking on this narrow, 150-meter-long street is like traveling back in time. |
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