I had good memories of the National Museum in Ueno park from twenty years ago, so I talked Michele into going again. This time there was a lot more English, which was great, and from what I remember there was less on display. The curators are very restrained about what they show, which I kind of appreciated (I think?). There was one room that has just one item on display at any time, this month it’s a 900 year old book of poetry. I thought it was amazing how contemporary it looks, with its flowing calligraphy and mica flecks in the paper. It made for a confusingly spare room, with just the one (amazing) book on display and otherwise empty cases.
Usually Shishi is part of Shinto and hangs out at Shinto shrines guarding the entrance, as opposed to the tough looking warriors often protecting Buddhist temples. But there was a sculpture on exhibit of Shishi carrying Buddha on its back, perhaps symbolic of Shintoism and Buddhism coexisting in Japan.
Outside of the museum a pop band was performing a free concert in the main square.
Walking through Ueno park again made me feel like we’ve been in Japan through a change of seasons. When we arrived in Nagasaki we had some brisk days where I was wearing gloves and a knit hat. In Okawachiyama the cherry trees were in full bloom and a light jacket was perfect. Last week we strolled this same stretch in Ueno park and there were still picnics going in full swing under the sakura blossoms. A week later and Sakura is over, it’s getting warm and the crowds are gone.
We wanted to pick up some Japanese snacks. First we went to a small Donki branch in this busy part of Ueno outside of the park, next to the train tracks.
Donki didn’t have what we were after. Next we decided to go upscale and tour the food floors at the Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza, the equivalent of Harrods for Japan. That was amazing but ultimately didn’t have what we were after. We did buy some excellent Madelines at one stall, mixed nuts at another, and admired the $30 watermelons and beautiful food displays.
It turns out the best spot for the snacks we were after was a fairly standard supermarket, in this case located in the two basement floors under a Uniqlo.
On our way back to our hotel through Ginza we passed a clinic with this sign in English. It looks like I could get a body tuneup if I had the time.
Ken Chin-Purcell 