Asakusa
Asakusa, traditionally called shitamachi (lower city), is the old downtown with a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate) with its huge red lantern is a popular landmark. Soon the Sky Tree, a 634-meter tower now under construction and to be completed in winter 2011, will be a new landmark. Various events take place in this area throughout the year: Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) and Sanja Matsuri (Sanja Festival) in spring, Hozuki Ichi (Winter Cherry Fair), Sumida River Fireworks Festival, and the Samba Carnival in summer, Toro E (Lantern Festival) in autumn, and Hagoita Ichi (Battledore Fair) in winter. It's a great place for strolling around or, for an elegant experience, tour the town by rickshaw. Asakusa is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Tokyo and is a mecca for popular Japanese entertainments.
| (1)Nakamise-dori | (2)Senso-ji | (3)Asakusa Hanayashiki | (4)Kappabashi Dougu Street |
Asakusa Map
Senso-ji
If you walk down Nakamise-dori, which is lined with souvenir shops and confectionary shops, from Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate) and pass through the large gate at the end, you will be in Senso-ji. It is the oldest temple in Tokyo, founded in 628. The main hall (Kannon-do) is always crowded with visitors on weekends because it is said that your prayers to be will be promoted in life will be answered if you make a vow at the temple. The five-storied pagoda adjacent to the hall is elegantly lit up at night. Sanja Matsuri is one of the festivals of the Asakusa Shrine within the temple precinct. It is a representative festival of Asakusa and takes place every May and fills the air with excitement.
Sumida Park
Sumida Park is spread along both banks of the Sumida-gawa (Sumida River). You can take in the scenic beauty of seasonal flowers such as plum and cherry blossoms in spring and hydrangeas in summer. Sumida-gawa has been attracting people since the Edo period for cherry blossom viewing during the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) held every spring. In addition, Asakusa Yabusame (Horseback Archery Event) is held in spring and the Sumida River Fireworks Festival which began in the Edo period, is held in summer. A stroll along the river watching the boats is pleasant way to spend leisure time.
Asakusa Hanayashiki
This is an amusement park for families, reminding one of the good old days. Japan's oldest roller coaster, constructed about 60 years ago, is very close to houses in the area and runs through a sento (public bath) as it goes around the park. You can experience poltergeist phenomena in the Ghost House with a 3D sound system. Shows of ninja, professional spies in feudal Japan highly trained in stealth, martial arts and secret sabotage, are performed on weekends and national holidays.
Shopping
Nakamise-dori (Nakamise Street)
This covered shopping mall of many small shops continues for about 250 meters from Kaminari Gate to the main grounds of Senso-ji Temple. Souvenir shops sell kimono and traditional accessories such as obi (kimono sashes), ornamental hairpins, folding fans and other unique Japanese items as well as yukata (summer cotton kimono) and tenugui (colorful facecloths). If you are ready for a snack, the Asakusa specialty "Kaminari Okoshi" (crispy rice snacks), sembei (rice crackers), dango (rice dumplings), monaka (bean jam-filled wafers) and ningyo-yaki (small cakes in the shape of a doll with sweet bean filling) are worth trying. Even after the shops are closed for the night, you can enjoy the paintings on the shutters depicting the Sumida River Fireworks Festival and Yabusame (Horseback Archery Event).
Kappabashi Dougu Street
This district includes 170 shops for purchasing cooking utensils wholesale. The 800-meter long shopping street is referred to as "Japan's No.1 Shopping Street" for a specific genre. Professionals and non-professionals alike can purchase all types of high quality cooking utensils here. All types of knives, Japanese, Western, and Chinese tableware, cutters to form uniquely shaped vegetables or cookies are just a few of many products available. "Fake" food for restaurant displays are amazingly life-like and popular among tourists from overseas. If you are interested in cooking and tableware, this place is a must. On Saturdays, 90 percent of shops are open but only 30 percent are open on Sundays and holidays.
Festival Extras / Hanten (Short Coats) / Koikuchi (Collarless Shirts) /
Jikatabi (Workingman's Footwear) If you're looking for clothing with Japanese traditional prints, the best place to go is a festival goods shop where Tokyoites buy outfits and accessories for festivals such as shirts, hanten (short coats), tenugui (facecloths), and jikatabi (rubber-soled cloth workingman's tabi footwear with a separate section for the big toe). If you are interested in buying koikuchi (casual collarless shirts), you can choose from among hundreds of prints including cherry blossoms, hiragana, Chinese characters, Japanese woodblock prints, and dragons. Shirts for children are good souvenirs. You are sure to find one you like!
Gourmet Guide
(map:a) Asakusa Imahan
You can enjoy sukiyaki, a dish of thinly sliced beef cooked in a heavy iron pan with various vegetables and tofu, made with high quality Kuroge-Wagyu (black Japanese beef) at Asakusa Imahan, a well-known restaurant established in 1895. The main shop is located on Kokusai-dori with a branch on Orange-dori. They serve beef flavored with a secret recipe Japanese soup that is so tender it melts in your mouth. Skilled veteran waitresses cook the sukiyaki for you. You can also enjoy shabushabu, also a dish of thin slices of beef but parboiled in hot soup, or kaiseki, dishes originally served in the tea ceremony. Be sure to check out their reasonably priced lunch menu.
(map:b) Daikokuya
This restaurant was established in 1887. Its specialty is a tempura domburi, a large bowl of boiled rice topped with flavorful Japanese-style battered and fried prawns. Tempura has been popular among people since the Edo period (1603-1867). Daikokuya is very proud of its recipe using four large prawns fried in sesame oil on a large bowl of boiled rice. The tempura is coated and cooked to perfection and the addition of the secret recipe soup creates an unforgettable taste treat.
(map:c) Asakusa Umezono
Asakusa Umezono has been serving Japanese sweets for 140 years. The famous awazenzai is made of sweetened bean jam on a steamed cake of millet. Cream anmitsu is a confection of kanten (agar) made from natural agar algae, strained sweet red beans, ice cream, and colorfully decorated with gyuhi (sweet rice cake) and fruits. A dribbling of rich molasses syrup tops off the tasty dessert. You are sure to enjoy these sweets and come away satisfied!