Izumi's Guide to Tokyo's Asakusa District

Tokyo‘s Asakusa district is famous for its many beautiful temples and shrines, and of course, the festivals associated with them. Flytographer Izumi gives us her best tips for making the most of a visit to this historic district.

Even for Japanese people, Asakusa is a special place. It is a place where people can forget about their daily lives and experience something extraordinary. Here are some small tips for your visit to Asakusa!

1. Start exploring as early as possible
Asakusa is one of the busiest places in Tokyo. I would recommend to start exploring early in the morning, around 8 or 9 am. Too early? Well, you can see the Kaminarimon Gate, the temple, shrine and Nakamachi shopping street in a quiet, clean and fresh morning atmosphere.

2. Enjoy the bygone era of Japan in Denbouin-dori Street
In this 200-meter long street, you can see old Japanese buildings. They have an Edo period design and give a feeling that you have been transported back in time. There are also interesting signboards, shops and restaurants. If you want to try Tendon/Tempura, I would recommend Daikoku-ya, located on this street.

3. Fully experience the temple grounds
There are so many interesting things around Sensoji-Temple. You’ll be taken aback by how big the temple is. You can get Omikuji (a fortune slip), surround yourself with incense smoke (it’s said that the smoke has the power to heal parts of your body), walk around and find good places to take pictures. Asakusa Shrine next to Sensoji- Temple is small, but also beautiful and an interesting place.

4. Enjoy a sweet treat!
After enjoying the shrine area I would recommend buying some delicious Japanese sweets. You can get Ningyo-Yaki at Kibundo-Sohonten and Dorayaki at Kameju. Ningyo-yaki and Dorayaki are made with pancakes and have a sweet bean paste filling.