We really grew to love the Ueno neighborhood. Big train station, lots of convenience stores, all the sizzle of the Ginza and all the charm of small back streets. And I can’t say enough about the park. Dozens of museums, temples, a zoo, and reportedly one of the best locations for the cherry blossoms. All Tokyo seemed to be decorated by the cherry trees but Ueno Park had such variety and diversity of locations and we were told it was a preferred location for a hanami, an outdoor party under the cherry blossoms. Alas, because of the virus such gathering were prohibited.

So we are left with a remembrance of a hanami, an echo from the poet Basho Matsuo

A cloud of cherry blossoms;
The temple bell,－
Is it Ueno, is it Asakusa?

How many, many things
They call to mind
These cherry-blossoms!

Very brief –
Gleam of blossoms in the treetops
On a moonlit night.

A lovely spring night
suddenly vanished while we
viewed cherry blossoms

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