Sensōji, Senso Temple, is the most popular and colorful temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. Complete in year 645, it is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Today, Sensoji is not just a Buddhist temple, but also a tourist must-go for a taste of Japanese Buddhism and over-priced souvenirs.
Kaminarimon 雷門
If you take the metro to Asakusa Station, the first thing you are going to see is a crowd of people going toward the same exit as you are, which is exit no.1. But you should be getting used to it by now, after you have been visiting Tokyo for a few days already. The next thing that comes in front of you should be a larger, a gigantic red lantern with 2 beautiful Kanji written on it, 雷門. It is pronounced Kaminarimon. The most popular and the most significant icon in all things Japanese. It literally means Thunder Gate and stands 11.7 meter tall and 11.4 meter wide with a beautiful dragon engraved at the base. You'll see the dragon when you stand directly underneath the lantern and look up. Kaminarimon is actually not the official name of the gate. The name is "The Gate of the Gods of Wind and Thunder" as the Gods stand beside the gate and as its official name shows on the back side of the lantern (風雷神門). Over time, it got shortened to Kaminarimon. Sensoji is always packed with tourists so the perfect time to take photos is early morning.
Nakamise 仲見世通り
Pass Kaminarimon is a long shopping street, over 200 meters, called Nakamise. While it is exciting to see so many souvenirs available at once, be aware that these shops are usually over-priced. If you must buy something, try to look for alleyways behind Nakamise. There you will find lovely small shops with better items and better prices. Check out my video to see where the alleys are. I bought a beautiful pink kimono for only a few thousand yen at one of the kimono shops in the alley. I also had delicious udon one time and got some cute souvenirs for really good prices.
We did try some sweets on Nakamise, I thought they were interesting. We tried sweet rice wine and lemon cakes. The cake tasted okay, though a little pricey. The sweet wine was a winter drink and was not overwhelmingly sweet. We enjoyed it.
Hōzōmon 宝蔵門
The second lantern you are going to see is Hozomon, literally means Treasure Gate. It is a two-story gate with Temple's treasures stored on its second floor, closed to public, of course. On the ground floor, there are 2 statues,3 lantern, and 2 gigantic straw sandals (back side). Hozomon is the official gate to Sensoji. The most prominent lantern in the middle is written "Kobunacho 小舟町", which is a small Japanese town. It has the town's name on it because it was donated by the town's people.
To the gate's left, there is a beautiful 5-store red pagoda, that is closed to the public as well because it is a graveyard.
Sensōji 浅草寺
Pass Hozomon gate, you finally reach Hondo 本堂, the temple itself. There are many things here, check out my video for Omikuji (fortune paper) and Jokoro (incense burner). Both are Japanese traditions when visiting a temple. It is said the smoke from Jokoro heals and purifies worshippers. I don't know if that is true or not, but my friend who grew up living in a temple outside of Tokyo said the same.
If you need ADA assist, there is an elevator to the left side of the temple. It is tucked away to the left back side but not difficult to find.
Even after reaching Hondo, there is still a lot to see. Go the right of the temple, you'll find Asakusa Shrine and the view of Tokyo Skytree is not far in the East. To the left of the temple, there is Ishibashi, a beautiful stone bridge, and some stone statues. Explore the area before you leave, Asakusa is more than just the shops on Nakamise. If your next destination is Tokyo Skytree, it's only a 20-min walk away. During rush hours, it's faster to walk than Uber. Trust me.
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