Ameya Yokocho Market
The street features a huge variety of small retail businesses selling seafood fruits and vegetables general groceries discount clothing accessories cosmetics watches and confectionery.
Ameya yokocho market. Ameyoko began life as a black market mainly for sugary sweet potatoes after world war ii. Ueno local market experience with plenty of food from 107 20 traditional tokyo 1 day customizable private tour from 456 39 muslim friendly private tokyo tour with kimono wearing from 263 70 see all ameyoko shopping street experiences on tripadvisor. People in tokyo don t call the area by its official name. Ameya yokocho arcade or ameyoko as it s colloquially known began life as a black market during the post war years.
These days the market street running alongside the yamanote line tracks between ueno and okachimachi stations attracts far more tourists the kebab shops that have sprung up here and there can testify to that. A few days before new year s eve the market fills with clients coming to buy items for osechi ryori the last meal of the year. Ameya yokocho is actually on the inner side of the tracks but the market has expanded underneath the tracks in an arcade and across the other side. Now it is a multi cultural mix of cut price open air food stores supermarkets bars restaurants and shops selling everything from rock bottom anime dvds to cheap golf clubs and golf balls trainers suitcases jewelry and rock bottom priced clothes.
Reachable only a few steps from the south entrance of ueno park ameya yokocho is very touristy but is also loved by foreigners. One of tokyo s black markets during post world war ii ameya yokocho 飴家横丁 market has since legitimized and instead of contraband it now sells fish shoes watches snacks and other delights. Ameya yokocho is a lively street market that runs alongside the railway tracks between jr ueno station and okachimachi station. Alternatively ame also stands for america because a lot of american products used to be available there when the street was the site of a black market in the years following world war two.
Nevertheless it s still the place to go for cheap goods. The name ameyoko is a short form for ameya yokocho candy store alley as candies were traditionally sold there. Everyone just says ameyoko. The market is approximately 164 227 square feet in area starting just behind the yodobashi camera building and following the yamanote line south until the komuro building.
Just call it ameyoko. It is also known as the candy market but that is misleading as there is very little candy to find in present day.