June 2013 Nippon Camera Tokyo Camera Style Feature
Ueno Park
You know, I’ve never really gotten the appeal of Yoyogi Park- the neighboring Meiji shrine is incredible but the park itself- well, there’s only so many twenty-something gaijin hipsters with bongo drums or acoustic guitars on a Sunday that I can take. (the actual answer is zero)
Ueno Park however, is where it’s at. Not only is it an honest to god former bloody battlefield, it’s got the Ueno Daibutsu, Shinobazu pond, and the Tokyo Shitamachi Museum. It’s also got a wide commons area which has been updated (and now flanked by a Starbucks) that holds various events throughout the year. Stuff is always going on and you get a good mix of people to meet/photograph as well. The park is on a hill that faces west so it’s always well lit, too.