Tokyo Sunday

SUNDAY IN TOKYO, and these cute little kids are not heading to the mall! The same as all the other people in the photo, they are making a bee line towards the entrance of one of the most popular parks in Tokyo, Ueno Park.

Unlike in Manila where malls are the favorite destination during weekends, public parks and museums are the go-to places of a typical Japanese family. Ueno Park is a huge patch of greenery in the middle of a city. Popular during the months of March and April for the cherry blossoms, it is home to a number of museums like The National Museum of Western Art, The National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo National Museum, and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. You’ll be surprised by the number of people, especially kids, who come to appreciate the museums (something we don’t have here in a mall-cultured Manila). At an early age, they’re already taught how to love and appreciate their cultural heritage… something that made them to the kind of people they are now.

Aside from museums, you can also find several shrines, the Ueno Zoo, Japan Academy, Tokyo School of Fine Arts, and Tokyo School of Music. Truly, Ueno Park is a cultural feast both for locals and travelers alike!