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You have a few hours to kill before taking the overnight boat to the Izu Islands, so you set off to explore Ueno Park.

Ueno is famous for its cherry trees, but the blossoms will not open for another week. People have already begun to claim their spots for hanami, blossom-viewing parties, laying out blue tarps on the sidewalk in much the same way that Americans reserve park pavilions, or lay down blankets in the grass, for Fourth of July barbecues and fireworks. The tarps are the same that the hom