Asakusa Sensoji Temple Area
Asakusa is one of the most popular areas in downtown Tokyo, with many stores and restaurants, and the Sensoji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most famous temples.
Asakusa is an area rich in tradition surrounded by water, with Senso-ji Temple with its Kaminarimon gate and Nakamise shopping street at its center. You can enjoy the scenery along the Sumida River or go river rafting on a yakatabune. It is also recommended to take a stroll along the picturesque streets lined with stalls selling traditional Japanese goods and authentic souvenir shops. It is a wonderful place to experience Japanese traditions, arts, and crafts.
Kaminarimon Gate and Temple
As you approach the temple, you will see a huge gate with a huge red lantern and a traditional costume with large Chinese characters. This is the “Kaminarimon”. After passing through the Kaminarimon, we walked along the lively Nakamise shopping street, picking up souvenirs such as traditional Japanese crafts and time-honored sweets, before heading to the impressive main hall of Sensoji Temple.
Traditional theme parks
Traditions are carried on outside the precincts as well. Asakusa Hanayashiki, a retro theme park, has many quaint attractions and is home to Japan’s oldest roller coaster. The walk-through haunted house is also popular.
If you are interested in traditional Japanese entertainment, the Asakusa Engei Hall is a great place to visit. Although English is not spoken, why not immerse yourself in the ancient Japanese culture of Rakugo, Manzai, magic tricks, paper cutting, etc.?
Asakusa, the City of Water
Asakusa is a city of water. Many landmarks line the banks of the Sumida River. From the Azuma Bridge, with its impressive red bridge, you can see the Tokyo Sky Tree. The Asahi Beer Hall is located in the Asahi Group Headquarters building with its impressive golden sculpture on the roof. It’s a great place to grab a beer after a long day of walking. Why not take a ride on one of the uniquely designed water buses or houseboats and see the city of Tokyo from the water? The pier is located near Asakusa Station and takes you to Hinode Pier, Odaiba Seaside Park, Hamarikyu Gardens, Toyosu, and more.
Memorable souvenirs of Asakusa
Asakusa is a great place to pick up some original Japanese souvenirs. The Nakamise area is lined with many small stalls selling a variety of goods. Just looking at the various handicrafts such as glittering hagoita boards, beautiful edo-kiriko paper cutouts, beautiful dragonfly balls, fans, etc. is soothing.
