Japan -03/31/- 04/08/2017

Day 2- Ueno Park -4/2/2017

10 days later, on my way home I flew from Saigon to Narita with a 10 hours layover.  Since I did not want to wait at the airport I took the train to Ueno station to visit the part of the park we did not get to see the 1st time. By this time the cherry blossom festival was over and there are definitely a lot less people in the park. 

This is at the entrance to Ueno Park.  Since I can't read Japanese I am not sure what all these white lanterns supposed to represent.

 

The red lanterns are hanging on the trees but here but you can see that there are a lot less people as the 1st time we came.

Most of the blossoms are gone now...

You can still find a few trees with blossoms.

The weather was a lot warmer than the 1st time we came so that's why all the blossoms are over.

 

Plaque on the ground of Ueno park.

 

A small area for people to wash their hands and rinse their mouth.

 

Hanazono Inari Jinja

To pray: put coin in the orange box, bow head down tow times, clap twice, place your hand and feet together and pray, one time bowing head down and you're down.

 

Gojōten Jinja (Hanazono Inari Jinja) is a popular shrine as a god of love/marriage.

 

Entrance to Ueno Toshogu Shrine

Ueno Park is known for its candy-colored cherry blossoms but there are also the Peony garden with blooms that deserve some attention.  However, I did not go in as there is a fee to get in.

 


Bronze lanterns leading to the main gate.

The gate.


Wash area

 

The Ueno Toshogu was built in 1627, then remodeled in 1651. It has withstood earthquakes and fires, as well as the Battle of Ueno, and is one of Tokyo’s oldest buildings. The huge lantern on the left before the first gate is one of the largest in Japan. Karamon, the front gate of the temple, is famous for its dragon carvings.

See description of gate below.

 

I am now going back to where I came from... Lots of bronze lanterns lining up the street leading to the main entrance.

 

I am now heading to the Shinobazu pond located within Ueno Park. 

Situated in the south of Ueno Park, the pond is divided in three section: Lotus Pond, Boat Pond (rental boats), and Cormorant Pond which lies within the limits of the Ueno Zoo and takes its name from the birds that inhabit it.

I believe this the Lotus pond as I can see lots of dead lotus in the pond, they will grow again in the spring/summer.

Shinobazu Pond and Bentendo Hall (it is the pagoda with the green roof).  I am walking toward the Bentendo Hall so you will see it a bit later.

 

 

 

More view of the pond



Bentendo Hall Temple is a Benzaiten Temple that stands in the middle of Shinobazu Pond, which forms part of Ueno Park.
It enshrines the female deity Benzaiten, also known as “Benten.” Because she has gray hair, this statue of Benzaiten is called “Rojo Benzaiten” (rojo = an elderly woman).


Jōkōro which is a container where visitors can insert incense as an offering.

The main entrance of the temple

Right in front of the red lantern is a belfry. The bell was re-cast by Makino Narisada in 1692 on the command of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth Edo shogun. The bell became known amongst local residents as “the bell that announced the time,” and it continues to be rung by a monk at 6:00 each morning. It is also the subject of a famous haiku. Though the belfry was destroyed in the air raid on Tokyo in March 1945, the bell itself escaped damage. The belfry was rebuilt in 1950.

The altar.

 

Wash area...

I am going back to the main park...

 

More blossoms... so beautiful!

There are not many trees with blossoms anymore so when you see one, for sure there are a lot of people surrounding the tree to take a picture.

 

I am done with touring Ueno Park so I walked around and stumble of this really busy street filled with restaurants, street vendors, street market, etc...

 

I am craving for sashimi with rice and I walked around the market for a good 30 minutes before finding this humble place.

I was so happy to have my last sashimi bowl in Tokyo!

Fish are so fresh, sweet and the rice is also delicious!- around $8 a bow, what a steal!

Next..Day 2- Ginza

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