If asked to name one flower that best symbolizes Tokyo's shitamachi, I would say asagao (morning glory). The energetic vine that shoots up fast, roof high, with simple flowers that fade before noon has always been favored by Edokko, the children of Edo. Looking just right as it cools their modest houses, this annual's character seems to match that of the bustling, hard-working Edokko, who are urged to spend their profits on the day they are made.

The asagao's wild parent with its small, trumpet-shaped, blue flowers was traditionally grown for its seeds, used in Chinese medicine. At the turn of the 19th century developing cultivars became a fad among horticulturists around Ueno, and later in Asakusa and Fukagawa. Keen competition produced an incredible variety of shapes and colors of both flowers and leaves.

Iriya, famous because many asagao buffs lived there, was home to one clever promoter who put on a fair at Iriya Kishimojin Temple. The Asagao Ichi (fair) is now a well-established event, signaling the arrival of high summer in Tokyo.

The fair is held July 6-8, beginning at dawn. Try to go before 9 a.m. when the flowers are at their prettiest. Evening also has its own ambience with young women in yukata coming to choose their favorites. From there stroll to nearby Negishi to see charming old buildings from prewar years, and then on to Ueno Park for a museum visit, all manageable in a little over one hour. If you have not seen the "Treasures of the Byodo-in" exhibition on at the National Museum, hurry to admire the floating heavenly musicians bathed in the celestial glow of fiber-optic cable (until July 9, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m., till 8 p.m. on Friday, closed Monday).

Take the Hibiya subway line to Iriya Station and go out exit 2. Immediately before you are rows of stalls lining the street, each with tiers of potted asagao in blue, purple and pink, stripes, solids and ruffles. Visitors are enticed by barkers wearing tightly twisted tenugui cotton cloths tied around their heads and jackets printed with asagao, all shouting, "Asagao! Asagao!" Today many women join the formerly all-male band of barkers.

To visit Kishimojin Temple, cross the main road toward the distinct green roof ahead. Notice two monuments under the stoplight: One has an asagao design, and the other is in honor of Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743), potter brother of Korin, who once had his kiln in this area. Crossing over, turn right and you will soon reach the entrance to Shingenji Temple, popularly called Iriya Kishimojin. Kishimojin, or Hariti, was a baby-eating devil in pre-Buddhist India, but was transformed into a guardian of children by Buddha's teachings. The temple's usually drab gate is abundantly decked with paper lanterns hung overhead, with more potted asagao filling the compound inside.

Leaving the temple, you may wish to browse at other stalls along Kototoi-dori. Afterward return to the subway exit and go straight. At the next stoplight, cross the road and turn left soon to find Ono Terusaki Jinja, a small shrine inside a concrete torii gate. As you step inside the cool compound in the shade of many large ginkgo trees, you will immediately sense the ardent prayers of the neighborhood people. The weathered main hall on the right has elaborate carvings on its facade, through which an altar dedicated to Ono no Takamura, a Heian Period poet, is seen.

A mound of rugged rocks on the left is a miniature replica of Mount Fuji, created in 1828 with lava carried from there. Worship of the highest mountain in Japan heightened in the Edo Period, with thousands climbing up as a religious discipline. For the poor who could not afford the long journey there, many replicas like this were built as substitutes. Members of the shrine parish continue to participate in a ceremonial climbing on June 30 and July 1 every year. Notice the pair of adorable stone monkeys with their hands clasped to pray.

Exiting from the other torii, walk straight to the main road. Your direction is to the right, but take a detour to the left to see several nostalgic shops. Crossing the intersection twice, you will find two buildings, both 120-130 years old, rarely seen now on Tokyo streets. At Igarashi Chochin (paper lantern) shop, you may see a man writing on blank lanterns in a distinctive Edo-style calligraphy. This shop has always supplied Asakusa Kannon Temple with the huge lantern at its front gate.

The next, Isumiya, with an attractive shop sign hung above the entrance, sells kamaboko fish paste handmade daily by an 89-year-old man.

One building beyond is Yoshida candle shop, which continues in service thanks to pious shitamachi customers who never fail to make daily offerings of candles and incense to their family altars. A few buildings further, a cosmetics and bag store is built onto the front of a kura storehouse. In the display window sit many kitsch maneki-neko cats, raising whichever paw they like.

Retrace your steps to the stoplight, continue straight to the next light, and turn left into a willow-lined street. Beyond a furniture shop on the right is Ebiya, an indigo dyer displaying handsome cotton jackets custom-made for traditional festivals.

Continuing straight, you will reach a crossing with a large road. Turn left and walk straight. At the next intersection, notice a six-story building at the far end of the pedestrian bridge, where the tofu restaurant Sasa no Yuki has fed generations of visitors to the asagao fair. It opens at 5 a.m. during the three-day fair, serving a set menu at 1,500 yen.

Keep going on the same road and pass under an overpass. You may reach the north entrance of Uguisudani Station straight ahead to get on the Yamanote Line. However, if you would like a cool soba noodle lunch, turn left and then right at the next stoplight. Ascend the stairway to go over the rail tracks. You will see Kobo-so noodle restaurant straight ahead with a white linen noren hung in front, and the south entrance of Uguisudani Station on the right.

Kobo-so is also convenient for lunch after a museum visit. The unassuming restaurant with a faded urban elegance serves savory noodles cooked al dente. Seiro, plain cool soba, at 750 yen, or ten-seiro with piping hot shrimp tempura on the side for 1,600 yen, is recommended (open 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Tuesdays).

The National Museum is reached by going uphill away from Uguisudani Station. Turn right at the T-junction and immediately left. At the corner look through the iron fence for pale pink flowers similar to asagao clinging on the fence or onto other plants. These are Japanese hedge bindweed, or hirugao, so named because they bloom in the daytime, hiru. Asagao is a wild perennial of the same family and although it thrives on roadsides and on beaches, it has mostly disappeared in central Tokyo.

At the next corner turn right to reach the museum, or go straight and then left to arrive at Ueno Station.