When you google Japan a photo of Asakusa most likely pulls up. From the long shopping areas to the massive bright red lanterns Asakusa is easily one of the most recognizable spots in Tokyo.
Here is my complete guide + thoughts on the best ways to experience this Shrine
Getting There
First off it’s super easy to get to. Take the Ginza line to Asakusa Station (ik super easy) and from there you can just follow the crowds of people to the front of the Shrine. It’s not too far off from the actual station.
The first thing you’ll see is a huge gate at the entrance with a giant lantern hanging in the middle. This gate is called Kamarinori Gate it is the beginning of the Nakamise shopping street that leads to the Senso-ji temple and the five-story pagoda.
Shopping
Nakamise Street is the perfect place to buy all your kitchy Japan souvenirs + try some really good snacks. My top snack recommendations from Nakamise vendors are Strawberry Tanghulu, Strawberry Daifuku, and of course Creamia (I recommend getting Creamia at every possible chance).
All of the souvenir stores are very reasonably priced and I found that they actually had cheaper prices than many of the other souvenir stands I saw in other cities/shrines. I ended up buying the cutest Maneki Neko.
Getting into the Shrine
If you keep going through the long shopping street (and trust me it will take you some time) you’ll finally reach the Pagoda and the next gate that leads to the stairs into the Shrine. Once you go through the gate you can go ahead and enter the Main Hall of Senso-ji.
Inside you will see a couple of different things. Obviously, you’ll see tourists wandering about but at the back of the building lining the wall, you’ll see the actual shrine. You can line up, donate, and throw coins into the shrine towards the middle.
Entrance into the shrine is free, they do hold festivals and events throughout the year that you can explore on their website:
View Asakusa and Senso-ji Offical Website
On one side you’ll see a small store where you can buy charms and offerings; next to it is a fortune box. I highly suggest doing the fortune box it’s super cute and fun.
*Note that photos of the actual shrine itself are prohibited.
Surrounding the Main hall are an array of smaller shrines, graves, memorials, and gardens that can keep you occupied for at least an hour. I will say that not being able to read what the memorials actually were for definitely cut down the time we spent there.
Surrounding the entire complex is shopping street after shopping street so honestly you can spend hours getting lost in the area and shopping till you drop!
I’ll See you
