Tokyo 08 - Ueno park & Shrine

Started the 2nd day (Aug 14th) early as we should be catching our departure flight at 4PM, thus we had only the morning for some more visiting. I'd love to get the sushi breakfast at Tsukiji again but time wasn't on our side, thus it would be safer to explore places near our hotel in Ueno.

We wanted to visit the Tokyo National Museum, which opens at 930AM. And since we got up abit earlier, so we decided to check out Ueno park and the shrines in the park.


And we arrived at Ueno park at 830AM, this is a popular place for cherry blossom viewing during spring season.


Torri gates stacks! Yea I think they are kind of cool, almost wanted to run through it, think I have seen that done in one of the movie (Memoir of a geisha) ?


Big Torri, one of the gate to Toshogu shrine.


Rows of stone lanterns.

One of the Toshogu shrine building. Most of the buildings here were build more than 300 years ago during the Edo era.


Lots of wooden votive plaques (Ema). Many of the wishes written in English too!
Behind the plaques are the copper lanterns, they're used for religious ceremonies to house the 'sacred fires'.


The Flame Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki, dedicated to the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
It is said that the flame will be kept burning as long as nuclear weapon exist.


I got a mixed feeling after reading this. I always thought dropping of the A-bombs were the right thing to do, and the visit to Atomic Museum a week ago in Vegas reassured that. Maybe Im heartless? haha (the movie "Grave of the Fireflies" didn't affect me too)


The Toshogu building. A small fee required for entrance, however, we were running for time, so off to Tokyo National Musemu.