Asakusa is centered on the Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist (仏教, Bukkyō) temple that was built in 645.
The temple’s outer gate, the Kaminarimon (雷門, lit. Thunder Gate) is one of Tokyo’s most recognizable sights with its massive red lantern hanging down it. After passing through the gate, you will find yourself in Nakamise Dori (仲見世通り), an extremely popular shopping street with a wide variety of souvenir shops lining up both sides of the street leading up to the temple. At the end of the street, you will find the Hōzōmon (宝蔵門, lit. Treasure-House Gate), right before the actual temple, and beside the Five-Storied Pagoda (五重塔, Goshūtō) on its left. The Senso-ji Temple is the most visited spiritual site in the world with over 30 million visitors annually, and if you are observing the Buddhist rituals being carried out, please take note to be respectful of those who are there in prayer.
While the Senso-ji Temple area is the one that is most-visited, there is actually more to Asakusa towards the inner area. Leaving the Senso-ji Temple from the West side, you will find the Asakusa Nishi-sandō Shopping Street (浅草西参道商店街) with the famous Kagetsudō selling Melon Pans (メロンパン, Meron Pan) one of Japan’s most classic breads. You can also find an old-school amusement park, the Asakusa Hanayashiki (浅草花やしき), which features all sorts of carnival rides as well as a small rollercoaster. There is also Mokubakan (木馬館大衆劇場), a sort of Showa Era (1926-1989, 昭和, Shōwa) local community theatre that performs comedic musicals, and while the entire performance is in Japanese, many visitors often enjoy the intimate setting at the atmosphere despite the language barrier. Lastly, if you’re in the mood for some alcohol, you can also find Hoppy Street (ホッピー通り), a small street that is lined with izakayas (居酒屋, Japanese pub) on both sides of the street.
