Heather Meadows

I’ll admit that I am a sucker for tall attractions. I love being able to see the city from above. Tokyo Tower doesn’t disappoint; the picture going along with this entry is a view of Tokyo from the top observation level of the tower.

I didn’t do anything at the Tower other than admire the view and then search for food in the shops in the basement, so I can’t speak to the other attractions there. The shops, by the way, are touristy and overpriced—which is fine, of course, if that’s what you’re looking for!

Ueno Park is lovely, and there’s a ryokan just down the street where you can stay. The Tokyo National Museum is on one end of the park; its art and historical exhibitions are spectacular. On Sundays the park typically comes alive with performers, and you can usually find street vendors serving up hot food too. Ueno’s got the convenience of Tokyo without as much hustle and bustle. There are some great restaurants in the area, too. Just one word of warning: beware the pigeons!

When I went in the summer of 2001, I didn’t see too many tourists, though. It’s definitely a good place to see—I was personally impressed by all the fish longer than I am tall. I didn’t attend the fish auction; I just wandered among the hundreds of stalls, dodging buyers, sellers, and people driving tiny (but fast) carts all over the warehouse and dock. Tsukiji is a great place to get pictures, that’s for sure. You can see my pics at http://cosleia.smugmug.com/keyword/fishmarket.

...so it might overwhelm you. It certainly overwhelmed me the first time. The second time, I had a few days to just go out and explore, and that made the difference.