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Tsukiji Fish Market The Tsukiji Fish Market is the busiest fish market in the world. Every aquatic creature imaginable is on sale here; from scallops to giant tunas to sea cucumbers; even the poisonous blowfish. If you want to witness the hysterical hustle and bustle of the market in action, you'll have to get up early. Things start to get going at around 5 a.m., when the first of the day's auctions take place. One third of all fish consumed in Tokyo passes through this market. As you walk among the hundreds of stalls, you'll see fish tha you never even knew existed. Many of the merchants will even offer little samples of what they're selling as you go by. It's worth remembering that this is a working fish market and employees are busy hosing down the floors and splashing around with raw fish so don't dress in your best clothes – it will be hard not to come away from your visit without some evidence of the market about your person. There are lots of little restaurants in the area where you have an early sushi breakfast. This is the ideal way to end your trip to the fish market, and take a breather after witnessing all that frantic activity. Most restaurants start to open at about 5am, and close around noon. The market is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Ueno Park Ueno Park is probably the most popular place in the city for Japanese families to go on a days outing and also one of the largest parks in Tokyo. It's very much a cultural centre also, with quite a few attractions including the impressive the National Museum of Western Art, The Tokyo National Museum, the charming Shitamachi Museum with its displays of old Tokyo, Ueno Zoo, and a bird sanctuary at Shinobazu Pond. April is the busiest time of year at Ueno Park, as this is when the cherry-blossoms are in season. Other popular landmarks in Ueno Park are Toshogu Shrine, built in 1651 and dedicated to the memory of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of Tokugawa shogunate; and Kiyomizu- do Kannon Temple, completed in 1631 as a replica of the famous Kiyomizu-do Kannon Temple in Kyoto. If you come here during the week in April when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, it is a sight to behold, and worth coming to visit for that reason alone. Cherry blossoms are seen by the Japanese as symbol of beauty, fragility, and the transitory nature of life. Ueno Parkhas been a popular viewing place since the Edo Period. Today, people come here in their droves to celebrate the birth of the new season. The best time to visit is when most people are at work, for it tends to be very busy in the evenings and weekends. |