Blogs from Ueno, Tokyo, Japan, Asia - page 5

Woke up bright and early when Kyoko woke up to go to work around 8am. Had some of my chilled coffee and read the Tokyo eyewitness book Kyoko gave me to use for the day. She also gave me keys to the house so I could pick my stuff up from her place without having to wait for her to get off work. That was pretty nice of and trusting of her. Delia was on her way to some place on the outskirts of Tokyo and said she had to kick us all out. She was walking to the train station I needed to get to later so that was just fine with me. On the way to the station we talked about how cool it was 3 different ppl from 3 different places were hanging ... read more

So I arrived today and day 1 of my journey. It was a long long flight so endured a numb bum for 12 hours! Tokyo is my first stop and will be here in Japan for about a month. Met up with Kengo who looks after BabyBoom Japan who sorted my hotel, a phone (cause mine doesn't work here +818091892273 if anyone needs to catch up with me) and took me for my first Japanese eating experience- from a vending machine no less and Hiroho a friend of the label. So we went this evening to a gig with 5 bands playing. In typical surreal fashion I leave Manchester and the first live music I see the band played Oasis covers! Met some really nice people already and that took away the doubt that I am ... read more

After some frantic last minute packing (I'm packing light enough to fit everything in one backpack!), and some issues at Airport security (about 4 different people looked through my luggage... once to examine my iodine water purification thing and another for a "random security check"), I arrived in Tokyo in one piece. I had planned out a whole Jet-lag-prevention strategy that entailed sleeping on the entire flight to Japan, but I just couldn't fall asleep... so I ended up watching a bunch of Japanese movies to get myself in the mood for Japan (I highly recommend "Heaven's Gate" and "20th Century Boys"), while downing all the free beer that I could. Tokyo is compelling because it is at once so familiar and foreign. Small family farm plots are placed in the middle of crowded towns, and ... read more

Day 1 Arrival Leaving Melbourne my head still spinning and my heart a little sad as the realisation that I would be away from the family sunk in. A magnificent sunrise as I left and a similar sunset as I approached Japan! Finding my way around the Gold Coast airport, small though it is, proved more difficult than Narita. It is all in the signage. The Gold Coast left room for confusion, and I took it. Mostly though it was fine and I had plenty of time. A small scare when the check in person asked me for proof of my return to Australia as this was a Japan regulation. A few moments of panic until I realised I had an on-flight to Hong Kong (details of course packed away in my luggage). Once retrieved all ... read more

Ueno Park - Ueno, Tokyo, Japan Ueno Park (上野公園, Ueno Kōen) is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Tokyo, Japan. Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun, built the Kanei-ji temple and subtemples here in the 17th century to negate evil spirits that might threaten from the northeast. Judging by how long the Tokugawas lasted, it was a wise move. In 1873, five years after the Battle of Ueno, when the last supporters of the shogun were crushed by Imperial forces, the government designated Ueno a public park. Sites located in Ueno Park that I visited included Saigo Takamori Statue, The Tomb of the Shogi Tai, Gojo Shrine, The Great Buddhist Pagoda, Tosho-gu Shrine, Kiyo-mizu Hall, and the Tokyo National Museum. Today it was another cold, rainy day so I tried to pick sites ... read more