Journeys in photographs and words.

Places we stopped along the way

Chuo, Tokyo

Ameyoko Shopping Street

From: A downtown table in a Tokyo row house

The Ameyoko sign beneath the elevated tracks
The Ameyoko sign beneath the elevated tracks

A shopping street of more than 400 shops packed into about 500 meters between JR Ueno and Okachimachi stations. It grew out of the postwar black market; the name is said to come either from the many candy (ame) shops or from the American goods once sold here. I browsed the fruit and seafood stalls for dinner.

Sources: ameyoko.net

This moment in the journey

Shopping for dinner at Ameyoko

Under the elevated tracks at Ueno, I passed beneath the Ameyoko sign. This shopping street runs about 500 meters between Ueno and Okachimachi stations, with more than 400 shops. Shoppers crowded around stalls of fruit and vegetables, and seafood laid out on ice.

Walking the streets of Ueno at dusk, I spotted the Tokyo Skytree at the end of an alley. I crossed an intersection as the signals lit up and headed home to the row house. One more Tokyo specialty for dinner.

Watch this scene on YouTube4:41

Read this scene in the full journey

A stall piled with fruit and vegetables
A stall piled with fruit and vegetables
Seafood laid out on ice, with shoppers gathered around
Seafood laid out on ice, with shoppers gathered around
A Ueno street at dusk as the signs light up
A Ueno street at dusk as the signs light up
The Tokyo Skytree seen at the end of an alley
The Tokyo Skytree seen at the end of an alley
An intersection at dusk with a red light
An intersection at dusk with a red light