Now that I have the time to actually explore Tokyo, why not start off somewhere closeby to the hotel I’m at? Located right around Ueno station, Ameyoko Shopping Street is one of Tokyo’s more well-known hotspots, an open market with stalls featuring fresh produce, street food, fashion items, cosmetics, and other souvenirs. The market itself stretches from the JR stations of Ueno and Okachimachi, so there’s a lot to see and explore here. But is any of that worth heading to? Let’s find out. How Good is Ameyoko Actually?
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🗾 Ameyoko Market 🗾
Ameyoko covers quite a bit of ground, so let’s break it down into categories. If you enter Ameyoko from Ueno Station, you’ll see the road split into two. To the left, we have a collection of shops selling fresh produce, street foods, and sit-down restaurants. It’s the livelier of the two roads, since not only is it a tourist spot, but the place is also popular among locals. (it’s a market, after all)
As a quick breakfast, I decided to stop by Minatoya. It’s a small store located around the middle of the market road, specializing in a variety of sashimi bowls.
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Minatoya – 🍣 Bintoro & Maguro Don (¥600) 🍣
There were a lot of fish combinations to choose from here, but I ultimately went for the Tuna & Fatty Tuna bowl. Well, the Fatty Tuna here is Bintoro (Albacore Tuna) and not the usual Otoro. It’s kinda like a budget Otoro – a similar amount of fat, but a bit softer and with a less intense flavor. Other than that, both the Maguro and Bintoro were nice and fresh.
The value for money here is really great, so check out their offerings when you stop by. Half-sized bowls are also available, if you really can’t decide and want to try even more options.
If you’re in the mood for a meal outside of rice bowls, have a look around. There’s a wide variety of places to choose from, from Gyudon to Kushikatsu, to stores specializing in international cuisines. And for evening visits, there’s also a bunch of bars and Izakaya stores around the area.
🍣 Minatoya 🍣
🗺 Map: https://goo.gl/maps/Zw8MUCFmviRN4EhR9
⏰ Opening Hours: 11 A.M. to 7 P.M.
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👘 Fashion Stores 👘
Ameyoko also houses a selection of fashion stores, from big-brand stores like ABC Mart to smaller local shops with bargain prices. Whether it be clothes, shoes, or other accessories, there’s quite the variety here. I wouldn’t say I’m too qualified to talk about these stores in depth, but my friend did stop by Mita Sneakers for some shoes a few days into our trip. He says the prices here are notably cheaper than what we get back in Thailand, so have a look around. Maybe you’ll be able to grab some items at discount prices!
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🍡 Snack and Souvenir Shops 🍡
Japan is home to a ton of amazing snacks and souvenirs, so it’s no surprise that Ameyoko also has that covered. Throughout the market lies stalls of different street foods ranging from staples like Takoyaki and Yakitori, to more local sweets like candied fruits and crepes, so have a look around to see if anything interests you. Right around where the market separates into two roads, there’s Kiminoen, a matcha specialty store. I really wanted to try their soft serve ice cream and buy some matcha to take back home, but I kinda forgot about it amidst my journey here. Maybe I’ll remember it the next time I visit Tokyo.
And for your snack shops, cosmetics, and drug stores, they have just about everything you need, including Don Quixote, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sun Drug, and a bunch of local sweets shops like Niki no Kashi. If your hotel is around the area, you don’t need to travel far for some last-minute shopping!
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🎮 Taito Station 🎮
As a little bonus, here’s an overview of the arcades at Ameyoko. The two Taito Stations here are slightly different in their offerings, but the core concept is the same. The lower floors are dedicated to claw machines (UFO Machines, as they’re called here) where you can win prize figures of gaming and anime characters. Above that, we have an assortment of music games, fighting games, and racing games (among others) neatly organized by floors.
If you haven’t tried the UFO Machines here in Japan, definitely give it a shot! As long as you’re determined, you’re almost guaranteed to win. I’ll go over Taito Station and its tricks some other day, but if you’re more interested in buying anime and gaming goods, there’s also a bunch of figure stores at Ameyoko, from Yodobashi Camera and Yamashiroya right by the street entrance, to Hobby Off and Book Off towards the Okachimachi end.
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Ameyoko Shopping Street actually? There’s a lot to do at Ameyoko, to get straight to the point. Between the local stalls selling fresh produce and street food, to shops selling fashion items, snacks, and souvenirs, it’s hard not to have at least something for everyone. It’s also really easy to travel to, since Ueno is one of the larger metro stations in Tokyo. Not much to elaborate on, so if you’re around the area, drop by and experience what Ameyoko has to offer.
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🚗HOW TO GET THERE 🚗
Ueno Station’s your best bet when it comes to Ameyoko. Exit Ueno JR station through the Shinobazu exit, and the market entrance is only a few minutes walk away. The market stretches all the way to Okachimachi JR Station, so that’s also an option if you’re heading from there.
Ameyoko Market – Ueno Station
🌏 Location: 6 Chome-10 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
🗺 Map: https://goo.gl/maps/g2VEYkLVuRPgXEwN7
⏰ Opening Hours: varies by store
