We took the metro a couple of stops north to spend the afternoon in Ueno. At Okachmachi station, I wanted to sample the white truffle salt bread from Truffle Bakery. My first introduction to truffles was from watching the Smurfs cartoons in the 80’s. Does anyone else remember how the Smurfs went truffle hunting? k likes truffles, so I had her pose with the one piece which we all shared.
This article is a deep dive into how the Truffle Bakery is dedicated to all things truffle.
Ameyokocho
After doing some duty-free shopping at Uniqlo Okachimachi, we walked towards Ameyokocho. Vendors and small shops selling mostly food items line this busy shopping street.
We stopped at a store called Tea Garden and shared a matcha ice cream cone.
Ueno Park
Ueno Park is known as a prime-viewing area for cherry blossoms in Japan. As we were there in June, it was past cherry blossom season. It was not too crowded, and it felt like a peaceful escape in the middle of a bustling metropolis.
I wish we could have seen the Shinobazuno lotus pond in full bloom!
Lovely hydrangeas.
Ueno Park was one of the few places in Tokyo where we saw public trash cans. Too bad some of the trash ended up in the pond.
I had read mixed reviews about Ueno Zoo, so we ended up not visiting. While D and the kids took a break in the shade, I walked towards the Shinobazuno Boat Dock to see the swan paddle boats.
Aren’t they so charming? If we had more time, this would have been a fun activity.
Sanrio Gift Gate Ueno
This Ueno Sanrio store has the cutest storefront. I love how the characters have panda heads as a nod to the pandas at Ueno Zoo. However, the store itself is quite small and has a limited selection.
1 Comment
Lived 4 years in Tokyo and never saw the lotus pond, the swan paddle boats or the zoo. 🥸 I guess we missed a lot. We stayed away from Ueno during cherry blossom season—crowded with people having sake drinking parties 🤨. Would love to go back!