What makes Asakusa sightseeing so appealing?
Asakusa, a representative tourist destination in Tokyo, is a rare area where the popular culture continuing from the Edo period intersects with the modern Tokyo cityscape, attracting many travelers from Japan and abroad.
While taking a commemorative photo at the iconic Kaminarimon Gate and enjoying the street food is enjoyable enough, knowing a little historical background and exploring from a different perspective can multiply Asakusa’s charm many times over.
This time, we will thoroughly explain 5 carefully selected spots, from must-visit places for first-time Asakusa tourists to unique attractions you’ll want to tell everyone about.
Nakamise Shopping Street
📍 Address: 1-36-3 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Stretching approximately 250 meters from Kaminarimon Gate towards Senso-ji Temple’s Hozomon Gate is ‘Nakamise Shopping Street.’ Its history is ancient, reportedly beginning when local residents, who were responsible for cleaning the Senso-ji temple grounds during the Edo period, were granted the privilege of operating stalls on the approach to the temple.
Currently, 89 shops line the street, with 54 on the east side and 35 on the west, offering a wide variety of goods from traditional Japanese sweets like Ningyo-yaki, Kaminari-okoshi, and Agemanju (fried manju) to Japanese sundries.
The street is always bustling, filled with travelers enjoying dango (rice dumplings) and strawberry skewers. However, ‘eating while walking’ is prohibited by the shopping street’s rules. The smart etiquette in Asakusa is to enjoy your purchases at the shop’s eat-in space or a designated area.
A further unique attraction can be found at ‘night.’ After the shops close in the evening, the street transforms as the shutters come down. The ‘Asakusa Emaki’ shutter murals, painted in 1989, are revealed.
Seasonal events and the history of Asakusa are depicted on the shutters of all shops, allowing you to walk a fantastical path leading to the lit-up Senso-ji Temple amidst a stillness that belies the daytime hustle. Visiting at night is highly recommended for those who wish to avoid crowds or take picturesque photos.
Senso-ji Temple
📍 Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Tokyo’s oldest temple and the central hub of Asakusa tourism is ‘Senso-ji Temple’ (pronounced ‘Sen-so-ji’). Its origins date back to 628 AD, during the reign of Empress Suiko in the Asuka period. It is said to have begun when two brothers fishing in the Sumida River pulled up a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon (Sho Kannon Bosatsu) in their net and enshrined it.
As you proceed from Kaminarimon to the Main Hall, the scent of incense and the sound of sutras fill the air, enveloping you in a solemn atmosphere that truly says, ‘This is a place of Japanese faith.’
Surprisingly, Senso-ji Temple’s architecture incorporates modern innovations. The roofs of the Main Hall, Hozomon Gate, and Five-Storied Pagoda, which appear to be heavy earthen tiles, are actually lightweight and highly durable ‘titanium roof tiles.’ Here lies a fusion of tradition and cutting-edge technology, maintaining beauty while being resilient to earthquakes.
We highly recommend that visitors check ‘directly beneath the Kaminarimon’s giant lantern.’ If you look up at the bottom of the lantern, you’ll discover a magnificent wooden carving of a dragon. Don’t forget to enjoy not only frontal photos but also an upward angle.
Furthermore, Senso-ji’s Omikuji (fortune slips) are also famous for often giving ‘bad fortunes’ (kyō). It’s an ancient custom not to be disheartened if you draw an unfavorable fortune, but to tie it to a designated spot within the temple grounds and pray for good fortune.
Asakusa Shrine
📍 Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Located immediately to the right of Senso-ji Temple’s Main Hall, beyond a large stone torii gate, is ‘Asakusa Shrine.’ Stepping away from the overwhelming bustle of Senso-ji, the air softens gently, and you are enveloped in a pleasant quietude.
This shrine enshrines the three individuals known as ‘Sanja Gongen’ (three deities): the two fisherman brothers (Hinokuma Hamanari and Takenari) who discovered the Kannon statue, the principal image of Senso-ji, and Haji no Nakamochi, the village elder who enshrined the statue at his home and established the temple.
The ‘Sanja Matsuri’ (Sanja Festival), which engulfs the streets of Asakusa in a frenzy of excitement in early summer, is precisely the annual festival of this Asakusa Shrine. In the past, due to the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism (Shinbutsu-shūgō), Senso-ji Temple and Asakusa Shrine conducted their festivals as one entity. Although they were separated by the Shinbutsu Bunri-rei (decree separating Shinto and Buddhism) in the Meiji era, the shrine continues to gather deep faith as the guardian deity of Asakusa.
The main hall, designated an Important Cultural Property and donated by Tokugawa Iemitsu, still conveys the exquisite architectural beauty of the Edo period with its vibrant colors.
Amidst your bustling sightseeing, stand before the worship hall, where the scent of wood lingers, and quietly offer a prayer. It is a sacred and calming spot where you can truly engage in the pure act of ‘praying.’
Asakusa Hanayashiki
📍 Address: 2-28-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Located west of Senso-ji Temple, ‘Asakusa Hanayashiki’ is Japan’s oldest amusement park, which opened as a botanical garden called ‘Hanayashiki’ (Flower Mansion) in 1853 (Kaei 6, the year Commodore Perry’s Black Ships arrived).
Distinct from large theme parks featuring the latest thrill rides, its retro-Showa era and nostalgic atmosphere feel refreshingly new in today’s age.
The main highlight is Japan’s oldest existing ‘Roller Coaster,’ built in 1953. While its top speed is a modest 42 km/h, its course design, which races through narrow gaps between buildings and scrapes past residential walls, creates a unique thrill unlike any other.
Furthermore, the ‘Panda Car,’ a coin-operated ride often seen on department store rooftops, actually originated here at Hanayashiki. The park offers spots where you can take souvenir photos on a Panda Car and a wide variety of original merchandise featuring the Panda Car motif.
Its compact layout means less walking fatigue, which is a welcome point. It’s also very popular with families with small children, as there are attractions for infants aged 0 and up, and amenities like diaper changing spaces are well-provided.
Both adults and children can relive their childhoods and enjoy a fun-filled leisure experience with endless smiles.
Square of Stars
📍 Address: Taito City Asakusa Public Hall, 1-38-6 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
The ‘Square of Stars’ is located in front of the main entrance of the ‘Taito City Asakusa Public Hall,’ facing Orange Street.
Befitting Asakusa, a sacred place for popular entertainment, life-sized handprints and signatures of stars who have greatly contributed to the development of Japan’s entertainment industry, rakugo (comic storytelling), and kabuki are embedded in the sidewalk tiles.
Installation began in 1979 (Showa 54), and today, a spectacular sight unfolds with nearly 300 handprints of famous actors, singers, and comedians. It’s an interactive attraction where you can find the handprints of well-known entertainment legends like Takeshi Kitano and Cha Kato, and compare your own hands to theirs, noting things like ‘Their hands are surprisingly small!’ or ‘What powerful handprints!’
Since it’s slightly off the main street, it’s relatively less crowded, allowing you to leisurely search for handprints.
Why not enjoy a treasure hunt-like experience, searching for your favorite star’s handprint while feeling the history of Japanese entertainment?
【Column】Local Tips for Smart Asakusa Sightseeing
Experience a Different Side of Asakusa by Varying Your Visit Time
Asakusa is incredibly bustling during the day, but a secret tip for travelers is to take advantage of ‘early mornings’ and ‘evenings.’
Before 8 AM, Nakamise Street has few people, allowing for a quiet stroll where you can enjoy the shutter murals and almost have the serene temple grounds to yourself.
Also, the illumination of Senso-ji Temple from sunset until around 11 PM is a must-see. The vermilion Main Hall and Five-Storied Pagoda glow against the night sky, revealing a completely different, elegant, and ethereal world than during the day. Enjoying an evening stroll to cool off after dinner is a classic local way to spend time.
The Charms of ‘Oku-Asakusa’ Beyond Kaminarimon Gate
After visiting the main tourist attractions, we recommend venturing further north of Senso-ji Temple into the ‘Oku-Asakusa’ (literally ‘Inner Asakusa’ or ‘Behind Kannon’) area.
This is a deeper area dotted with old-fashioned coffee shops, local Chinese restaurants loved by residents, and stylish izakayas (Japanese pubs). Away from the tourist bustle, you can encounter more authentic downtown charm and local gourmet food. It’s no exaggeration to say that Asakusa’s true charm is hidden in its back alleys.
