The Old Heart of Town (Image by Natalie Maguire via https://www.flickr.com/photos/natalietracy/42491342465/) Ueno Park is at the heart of the Ueno area, which is part of Tokyo’s “shitamachi”—literally “downtown,” but more like “old heart of town.” Ueno Park’s history begins in 1873, at the beginning of the Meiji Era, when it was established as one of Japan’s first public parks. In 1924, Emperor Taisho officially passed the administration of the park to the city, giving the park its official name: Ueno Onshi Park (“onshi” means “imperial gift”). Its long history both as a seat of a culture and as a “people’s park” has created a very special mix of elegance and … 続きを読む