Ameyoko Market - Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan

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Ameyoko Market - Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan

Located under the Yamanote line tracks between Okachimachi and Ueno Station, Ameyoko Market proves to be a fun spot to check out while learning a little history as well. The name "Ameyoko" is a short for "Ameya Yokocho" (candy store alley), as candies were traditionally sold here. After the close of WWII, "Ame" was associated with "American" and the site became one of the best known black markets in Tokyo. Although no longer a place to buy illegal good and knockoffs (outdoors at least...), Ameyoko is definitely a thriving center of commerce. The stalls and shacks that line the streets sell everying...clothes, bags, cosmetics, fresh fish, dried food, skinned frogs, live turtles, whole pigs heads, chicken's achilles tendons/slices of lung/types of tripe/stomach lining, and spices.

While walking down one street, I saw a stall selling gyros that was ran by a Greek man. I decided that a gyro was just what I needed to statisfy my hunger so I ordered one. And the gentleman running the business spoke perfect English. Talk about globalization! A Greek man selling food in Japan while speaking English...I suppose Thomas Freedman was right when to commented that the world was getting flatter!

Photos: http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u53/kimdupak/Japan/Tokyo%20-%20Ameyoko%20Market%20-%2028%20Nov%202008/

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