Comparing Ueno Ameyokocho in recent years to 1990, it seemed there were mostly actual shoppers there in 1990 and not many tourists. The last time I went (before the pandemic), that seemed to have reversed - with more tourists and not so (local) people who were there specifically to shop. (1990 上野アメ横商店街 901222 NE-HV youtu.be/RBKofMjnVog)
For decades I went to Shibuya via this platform (coming in on a Yamanote Line train via Ikebukuro and/or Shinjuku). This is one of the elements of Tokyo I just assumed would be there virtually forever, so it was an odd sensation to see it vacant and out-of-use when they moved everything over at Shibuya Station. (1990 渋谷駅 JR線と井の頭線 901222 NE-HV youtu.be/ah4sOaJ3ySE)
Here's how the above busy (in 1990) platform looked in January 2023 - quite forlorn to me. After always knowing that platform as almost a living thing, it was quite strange to see it abandoned and about to be demolished. (2023 渋谷駅 山手線ホーム 新ホームと古いホーム 230127g youtu.be/GGdaUMeOTMM)
And looking the other direction:
Looking closely at the above photo, I see a sign saying "1940.7-2023.1", meaning (I think) that that platform had been used from July of 1940 through to January of 2023 (I took this in January, shortly after they shut it down).
Ginza on December 22nd, 1990... In any era, people have their worries, but in 1990, mostly people were thinking about their work, relations with workmates, lifestyle, and just living. There was generally no thought of the earth facing existential threats and all the bad International news we live with now in 2023.... (1990 銀座 クリスマス数日前 901222 NE-HV youtu.be/KFkpuRPTyJ8)
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon - www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/ - youtube.com/lylehsaxon - lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/ - lookback1997.blogspot.jp/
