Ueno gathering

The picture is graphically telling "every man after his fashion." The rest is up to how many audience they can gather around.

That very spot used to see a lot of mutilated WW2 veterans looking for donations.

That very spot used to see a lot of mutilated WW2 veterans looking for donations.

I remember seeing them too when I was young. Ironically, it was when Japan was at its economic height.

The jazz singer and the monk look ok but volunteer guides..

Recently I had to guide some lovely people from Europe around Osaka, and they asked me why there were beggars in a rich country like Japan. I explained that "he's not a beggar, he's a monk!" but they clearly didn't believe me.

From distance I thought the tour guides were wearing Polish highlander hats, but upon closer inspection I'd say there are some differences.

But is it a real monk or a fake one. Plenty of those around there.

They should import some living statues from USA.

Ueno characters 上野 separately mean "above" and "field".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ueno

Ueno Park and Ueno Station are also home to a large percentage of Tokyo's homeless population. Though nearly invisible in other parts of Tokyo, the homeless population in Ueno can be found sleeping or communing in large numbers around the "ike" (ponds) of this district.

But is it a real monk or a fake one. Plenty of those around there.

Monks are not collecting lots of money from this, they are doing this for training/ascetic.