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Asakusa

Tokyo's old-town quarter, gathered around the gates of Senso-ji. Four rail lines meet at Asakusa Station, and Tokyo Skytree is a walk away across the Sumida River.

Events in Asakusa

Highlights

  1. A street sign for Kappabashi Dougugai-dori Avenue beside the road
    1. Kappabashi Dougu Street

    Some 800 m of shops running north to south, midway between Asakusa and Ueno. Its specialist stores trade in kitchen knives, replica food samples and Japanese tableware.

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  2. Nakamise-dori seen from beneath Kaminarimon's giant lantern
    2. Kaminarimon Gate

    The main gate of Senso-ji, formally named Furaijin-mon. The wind and thunder gods are enshrined on either side, and its great lantern stands 3.9 m tall and weighs about 700 kg.

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  3. Crowds on Nakamise Street under Sanja Matsuri lanterns, with the Hozo-mon Gate beyond
    3. Nakamise Street

    A roughly 250 m run of shops from Kaminarimon to the Hozo-mon Gate, and one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan. Souvenirs include ningyo-yaki cakes and kaminari-okoshi rice crackers.

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  4. Hozomon Gate and the five-story pagoda lit up at night
    4. Senso-ji

    The oldest temple in Tokyo. Its Main Hall, also called the Kannondo Hall after the bodhisattva Kannon enshrined within, was rebuilt in 1958 after the 1945 air raids on Tokyo destroyed it.

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  5. A vermilion shrine hall flanked by stone guardian lions perched on rocks
    5. Asakusa Shrine

    Known locally as Sanja-sama, the shrine sits right beside Senso-ji. Its main hall, donated by the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, has survived fires, war and the Great Kanto Earthquake, and is designated an Important Cultural Property.

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  6. A riverside promenade lined with cherry trees in bloom
    6. Sumida Park

    Parkland on both banks of the Sumida River, with views of Tokyo Skytree from the riverside paths. The Sumida River Walk, a footbridge of about 160 m alongside a railway bridge, is one of the shortest routes to the tower.

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  7. Tokyo Skytree lit up above the city at night, with the moon overhead
    7. Tokyo Skytree

    The 634-meter broadcasting tower in Oshiage, across the Sumida River. Its two observation levels are the Tembo Deck, up to Floor 350, and the Tembo Galleria above it, on Floors 445 and 450.

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    Book observation deck tickets

Things to book

Getting there

From Ueno, Ginza or ShibuyaThe Tokyo Metro Ginza Line runs to Asakusa, its terminus, with no transfer. Check the fare on Tokyo Metro's Fare/Transfer Search.
From Haneda AirportTake the Keikyu Line, continuing onto the Toei Asakusa Line, to Asakusa. Keikyu puts the journey to Asakusa (Kaminarimon) at 37 minutes.
See Asakusa tickets →

Hotels

Kaminarimon's great red lantern above a stream of visitors

Staying in Asakusa

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