Ueno Hirokoji

Ueno Hirokoji Station is located in Taito Ward of Tokyo. It lies on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line in the district of Ueno to the east of Ueno Station. It is connected to Ueno Okachimachi, Okachimachi, and Naka Okachimachi Stations through underground passageways.

There is a busy shopping area near Ueno Hirokoji Station, but unlike the bazaar-style Ameyoko Market near Ueno Okachimachi Station, the market near Ueno Hirokoji has more of the usual shops. There are many modern Western-style shops and department stores, including Matsuzakaya, besides a multitude of restaurants, bars and karaokes.

Suzumoto Theater

Suzumoto Theater is located a few minutes walk from Exit 3 of Ueno Hirokoji Station. This historical theater was built in 1857 and is the oldest of its kind in Tokyo. The theater holds classical Japanese comic performances called rakugo. Rakugo is a traditional comic monologue performance in which a comedian dressed in a kimono sits on a purple cushion and tells stories that have been handed down for centuries. The stories are told using only a fan, a pipe, and a handkerchief as props. This one story-teller enacts the whole cast of characters using different voices and facial expressions. The monologue is full of expressions and puns to make it sound interesting.