I started the morning around 9 AM, walking to Ueno park. There was a festival of sorts, but I wasn't sure of what kind. The lines for the food stalls were insanely long and in direct sunlight. It was hot. I haven't been able to find a rain/sun umbrella under 3000 yen (~$28). I found some hats with varying sizes, but the only one in my head size was flimsy and difficult to see through. I'll find something.
We went to the zoo and it was a learning experience. Kids are loud here. But also stronger and more respectful of things. There was a small girl, maybe three years old at most, who ran off and completely ate it tripping over the cobblestone. She got up, looking a little dazed and went back to her mom with no issue. There was no crying, no yelling.
At the zoo, I saw a panda bear. It was the first one I've ever seen. It was smaller than I imagined, but absolutely adorable. There were a mix of interesting animals and they were kept up nicely. The elephants were healthy looking and the polar bear was white. No animals were pacing.
Because of the level of respect for the animals, I didn't see anyone taking flash photography or pounding on the windows. I think that is why people are able to get so close to the exhibits. The polar bear swam directly over to the window I was looking through. It was giant. Overwhelmingly so.
They had a lion and a tiger. Again, huge and able to be seen at a shockingly close range. One the most interesting things there was a display of 12 feline skulls in order from smallest (house cat) to largest (lion, I think). So. Big.
They also have some western animals. A friend who is Japanese told me that zoos here have squirrel exhibits. I didn't see any. But they had a North American brown bear. Once again, seen less than 5 feet away. It was scary to see an animal that size can be found not too far from where I live.
After the zoo, I went to the National Museum of Tokyo. I learned that the MIA has an impressive collection of Asian art. I skimmed some of the artifacts because I've seen similar ones back home. The Buddhist sculptures were similar and the MIA really captures the art of Buddhism as it spread across China and Japan around the 6th century. I visited two temples in Ueno Park. They were so small compared to the famous ones I saw the last time I was in Japan. I had to get a new temple book since I forgot mine at home.
Almost everything has been translated into English. But, I found three places where paper cranes were strung, but none of the memorials were in English so I wasn't sure what they were specifically for.
Next I went to Tokyo University. It was quiet aside from the kendo competition. There is a Japanese garden in the center of campus that is beautiful. Their university gift shop sells products that were actually developed at the school. The stores found near the university are mostly supply stores for students. My favorite was the microscope store. So many microscopes.
Finally, I went to Akihabara, the tech district. There were so many people. I wasn't sure where to go or what to see, so my trip ended up being a brief walk through a store that combines Best Buy and Staples. It was 8 floors. The top one was filled with restaurants, but they even had a floor for modern furniture.
The culture in Ueno and Tokyo, I am finding, is significantly different from the rest of Japan. People are loud here. The music is played loud. It is still quieter than America in many places. But people yell in the streets walking home from the bar. Teenagers and college students are just as loud as those in America.
I am sunburn personified.
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