Ameyoko (アメ横), also known as “Candy Alley”, is one of Tokyo’s most famous shopping streets. It was originally a black market for food produce in the aftermath of war, and while today much of the stalls sell fresh produce and Japanese snacks you also get a range of clothing products and Japanese souvenirs. Visit in the early evening (ideally Friday or Saturday) when the neon lights, trains running directly overhead, smoke from the meat grills, and cries of the vendors peddling anything from dried fish and Japanese crackers to baseball caps and U.S. Navy jackets, let you experience first-hand the grittier side of the city.
Directions
Come out of Exit 7 from JR Ueno Station and cross the main road south