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Asakusa

The Asakusa area of Tokyo is listed in most guidebooks and is a well known tourist destination. Still, this is an district we love to visit simply because of the festivals, traditions, and atmosphere that give it a character all of its own.

We'll also give you some tips on how to avoid the crowds if you want a less touristy experience. First though, a look at what makes this area such a popular tourist hit.

Famous Places In The Asakusa Area

Sensoji Temple lies in the heart of the district and is perhaps the most famous . Festivals, celebrations and a whole range of cultural activites take place here throughout the year. There's usually something going on, whether it's small or large scale, whenever you choose to visit.

Nakamise Shopping Arcade leads up to Sensoji Temple and was originally the "pleasure district" of the city during the days of the Edo period. Now the street is full of little shops selling traditional Japanese items like yukata, Japanese fans, ukiyo-e prints, and happi festival clothes. Join the crowd, take an afternoon stroll, and stop off for some local food along the way.

Kappabashi Dori Avenue is about a 10 minute walk from Sensoji and is famous for kitchenware and restaurant wholesale items. If you fancy buying one of those plastic replicas of food you see everywhere in the restaurants around Tokyo, this is the place to find it! Actually, any special Japanese cooking items that you're really wanting to take home you should be able to find here at a reasonable cost.

Hanayashiki Entertainment Arcade is also found in the Asakusa area. It was first opened in 1853 and is still going today - although of course it's been modernized!

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Festivals And Celebrations In Asakusa

Asakusa is the center of many traditional events throughout the year. The highlights for us are:

• Setsubun at Sensoji Temple in February.
• In March there is a Hina Doll fair here to coincide with Girls Day on the Japanese Calendar.
• The cherry blossom festival at the end of March/beginning of April is celebrated by many under the cherry trees along the Sumida River.
• If you want see some Tokyo fireworks then make sure you don't miss the Sumida river fireworks in July.
• August brings the Asakusa Samba Festival. Time to shake your booty!
• On November 3 the national holiday of Bunka no Hi or Culture Day in Japan is celebrated. In Asakusa this means you get to see the famous Tokyo Jidai Masturi Festival with the Shirasagi no Mai or white heron dance. The parade takes you through a display of the famous characters in history and is popular with all ages. Get there early to grab a good viewing spot.

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Want To Miss The Crowds?

If you want to see Asakusa minus the hoards of people that visit during regular hours then either get there early or take a night time stroll. An early start will give you the chance to see this area coming to live from around 5am. See how the local shopkeepers start setting up and the work that goes on behind the scenes.

At the end of the day enjoy the shadows and glows that the lights and nighttime bring to the area. For a great compilation of nighttime photos visit this post from one of my favorite Japan bloggers, Muzachan. A Summer Night At Sensoji.

Getting There!

To get to Asakusa you need to take either the Ginza subway line of the TOEI Asakusa subway line to Asakusa station. From there it's just a matter of having a good map and following the signs.

If you want to arrive by boat, take a Tokyo river cruise and get off at this stop on your way.