10 Best Things to Do in Asakusa, Tokyo: Recommendations from Locals

Asakusa is a place where Japanese traditions and culture remain strong. One of the most famous temples in the area is “Senso-ji”. Crowded with many tourists every day, this temple is the perfect place to experience Japanese history and culture.

However, Asakusa is full of fascinating activities and sightseeing spots other than Senso-ji. In this issue, our editorial staff, who are Asakusa locals, have carefully selected 10 activities that we recommend for sightseeing in Asakusa.

Please take a look at the fun things to do in the Asakusa area, which is full of downtown atmosphere!

You can’t miss this place! Senso-ji (Kaminari-mon/Nakamise)

Senso-ji is the oldest temple in Tokyo, said to have a history of nearly 1,400 years. A large gate called “Kaminari-mon,” which is also the symbol of the temple, is located at the entrance, and visitors can reach the Five-Storied Pagoda and the Main Hall through Nakamise-dori.

If you come here, you must pay a visit! The benefit is “Shogan Jyojyu” (wish fulfillment). It is said that wishes in general will be fulfilled.

The proper order of visitation is to purify your hands and mouth at the chozuya and your body and soul at the jokoro (incense burner). After praying, draw an omikuji (written oracle). The proper way to visit a temple is to bow with your palms together, pray for your wish, and then bow again.

The evergreen incense burner in front of the main hall allows visitors to purify their bodies and minds by bathing in the smoke from incense offerings. It is also said that if you pour it over a bad part of your body, you will be cured, so many worshippers pray for good health.

When I was little, my parents used to tell me that if I poured it on my feet, I would get faster. I remember being told that if I poured it on my head it would make me smarter, and I would desperately bathe in the smoke ✨.

Visit Asakusa Shrine, the strongest power spot in Japan!

Asakusa Shrine, popularly known as Sanja-sama, is located on the grounds of Senso-ji. It is often mistaken for a part of Senso-ji, but they are completely different. While the temple is Buddhism, the shrine is Shinto, and the religions that are believed in are different.

The Asakusa Shrine is located in the back right corner from the main hall of Senso-ji. It is located next to the main hall, so you will see the torii gate of Asakusa Shrine as soon as you walk.

The Sanja Matsuri (Sanja Festival) is held every May at this Asakusa shrine. It is one of the most popular festivals in Japan, attracting approximately 1.8 million visitors during the three-day event, and on the final day, approximately 100 portable shrines are paraded through the Asakusa area. The sight of a large number of people carrying the mikoshi in a vigorous manner is very impressive and worth seeing.

The Asakusa Shrine offers the blessing of “wish fulfillment(Shingan-jyojyu)”, or the fulfillment of one’s heart’s desire, which means that anything can come true if one sincerely and strongly wishes for it. It can be said to be the strongest power spot in Japan.

If you come to Senso-ji, please visit

Retro amusement park “Hanayashiki” is recommended for couples and families.

Opened in 1853, Asakusa Hanayashiki is considered the oldest amusement park in Japan. It is located about a 5-minute walk from Senso-ji.

There are many historical attractions, and among them, the oldest “roller coaster,” which was created in 1953, is one of the main attractions of Hanayashiki. The retro atmosphere is unforgettable. On a weekday, you can enjoy the ride in about two hours.

Enjoying Food

First, let’s fill our stomachs with food!

Asakusa is a place for eating and walking! Not only in the Nakamise area of Senso-ji, but also in many other places, there are take-out stores specializing in a wide variety of foods, from sweets to side dishes, including cute gourmet foods that are popular on social networking sites, making it hard to decide which one to try.

In this issue, we will introduce three gourmet foods that our editorial staff has actually eaten and recommends!

Kuroge Asakusa Kaminarimon Store

Kuroge Asakusa Kaminarimon Store is a store where you can purchase croquettes, a classic Japanese menu item. The store is located behind Nakamise Street, and its signature dish is the “Kaminarimon Cheese Menchi”. It is a soft meat patty mixed with ground meat and cheese, deep fried food.

The reason for the popularity of cheese menchis here is the overwhelming amount of cheese! When you break it open, you can see the cheese stretching out, making it a new Asakusa specialty that is sure to be a hit on your social networking sites.

Original Ningyo-yaki Kimuraya main store

Original Ningyo-yaki Kimuraya main store is the oldest ningyo-yaki shop in Asakusa. Ningyo-yaki is a traditional Japanese baked sweet, made of a glutinous dough filled with red bean paste(anko) or cream and baked into the shape of a doll.

The ningyo-yaki, invented in connection with Asakusa and shaped like a dove, five-story pagoda, Kaminari-mon, and paper lantern, are cute to look at and are a staple of the eating experience. The store is conveniently located right next to Senso-ji.

Kikusuido

Kikusuido is a long-established confectionery store in Asakusa. Here, you will find Asakusa’s famous sweets such as deep-fried manju and ningyo-yaki. The strawberry sponge cake skewers with a love fortune are especially popular and perfect for eating on the go.

Let’s taste Asakusa’s “famous” restaurants!

Asakusa is famous as an area lined with long-established restaurants with a long history. Here we introduce three famous restaurants in Asakusa that are loved by locals for daily use.

Monburan Asakusa store

There are some restaurants in Asakusa that are known as long-established establishments, and this “Monburan” is another famous restaurant that has been in business for more than 35 years. “Teppan-yaki hamburger steak”, a classic Japanese juicy ground meat patty dish hamburger steak grilled on a teppan, is a popular dish. Various types of sauces are available, allowing you to choose your favorite flavor of hamburger steak.

Access is via the arcade from Asakusa Station, making it easy to get to even on rainy days.

Asakusa Tsurujiro

Asakusa Tsurujiro is a monjayaki restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo, where the line is always long. Monjayaki is a local dish of Tokyo, a thin dough topped with cabbage, pork, squid, and other toppings, which is then baked.

The monjayaki, which is made with the finest soup stock, ingredients, and cooking method, is exquisite and served in a beautiful, modern Japanese style restaurant! Don’t miss the popular monjyayaki “Mentaiko Mochi Cheese”.

Kintaro Sushi main store

Kintaro Sushi main store is a long-established Edomae-zushi sushi restaurant that has been in business for 100 years. It is said to be the birthplace of Negitoromaki (food consisting of negi, tuna, and sushi rice wrapped in seaweed), a standard sushi dish in Japan! You can enjoy fresh and abundant seasonal ingredients at a reasonable price.

Nighttime is good, but daytime drinking is hot! Hoppy Street

Many people in Tokyo associate Asakusa with daytime drinking! The reason for this is Hoppy Street, located just a few minutes’ walk from Senso-ji.

Hoppy Street is a street lined with izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) in Asakusa. As the name “Hoppy Street” implies, the stores along the street serve a uniquely Japanese alcoholic beverage called Hoppy. Hoppy Street is also known as “Nikomi Street” and is characterized by the fact that many restaurants serve Japanese sole food Motsuni (tripe stew).

For your travel memories! Buy souvenirs with cute Asakusa-specific packaging!

Tokiwando Kaminari-okoshi Hopo”Kaminari-okoshi(Sweet rice crackerr)”

One of the most popular souvenirs from Asakusa is Tokiwado’s “Kaminari Okoshi (Sweet rice crackerr)”. Kaminari Okoshi is made by roasting steamed rice cakes, mixing them with starch syrup, sugar, peanuts, and other ingredients, and kneading the mixture into a hardened paste.

The store that sells them, Tokiwado, is a long-established business that has been in business for more than 200 years. The main Kaminarimon store, located right next to the Kaminarimon gate, also offers demonstrations of Kaminari-okoshi. You can also find Kaminari-okoshi in an original Japanese-patterned drawstring bag, so if you are looking for a uniquely Japanese souvenir, why not check it out?

Yagenbori Shichimi-Togarashi Honpo “Shichimi-Togarashi”

Yagenbori Shichimi-Togarashi Honpo is a long-established shop that has been in business for about 400 years. Here, they prepare and sell shichimi-togarashi, a Japanese seasoning and mixed spice based on chili peppers. Shichimi-togarashi is characterized by a perfect balance of spiciness and flavor, adding a tangy accent to dishes. This seasoning is recommended for those who want to taste Japanese flavors.

The products sold at Yagenbori Shichimi-Togarashi Honpo come in a Kaminarimon-specification container and a set of shichimi-togarashi, and are very popular as souvenirs.

Kameju “Dorayaki”

Kameju is one of the most popular souvenir stores in Asakusa. Dorayaki is the signature product. This dorayaki is also one of the three most popular dorayaki in Tokyo. Dorayaki is a traditional Japanese confectionery made with mochi dough, filled with red bean paste, and baked. Kameju sells two types of dorayaki, one with white bean paste and the other with black bean paste.

The other day on a weekday, I waited in line from 9:50 a.m., 10 minutes before the store opened, and was able to purchase my order at 10:30 a.m. I waited in line for about 40 minutes. As you would expect from such a popular store!

Experience

Enjoy Rakugo all day long! Let’s visit Asakusa Engei Hall!

Asakusa Engei Hall is a special place to enjoy traditional Japanese entertainment culture. Here, classic Japanese performing arts such as rakugo, manzai, and magic tricks are performed.

Asakusa Engei Hall is open all year round, with two performances a day, but you can come and go as you please. Since the comical storytellers change every 15 minutes or so, it is possible to drop in and enjoy the stage for just a couple of performances.

Unfortunately, there are no simultaneous translations available at this time, but even if you do not understand the language, you can still feel the atmosphere of traditional Japanese culture.

Rent a yukata or kimono and explore the city!

Asakusa is also a town where kimonos look good. Many people rent kimonos and yukatas and enjoy strolling around the town. There are many kimono rental stores, so choose the store that best suits your purpose, scene, and taste.

Click here for travel plans to experience kimono rental as well.

Kimono and yukata rental stores!

Take a rickshaw ride for an extraordinary experience!

A rickshaw is a traditional Japanese form of transportation in which the vehicle being pulled is propelled by human power. The rickshaw driver pulls the vehicle and carries the traveler along, guiding him or her through tourist attractions and historical areas. The attraction of this method is that it is faster than walking around and allows the traveler to see all the points of interest. Moreover, it is a great way to enjoy the sights of the city in a relaxed manner from a higher vantage point than passersby.

Rickshaw rides are also a popular activity in Asakusa, and there are always many rickshaws lined up in front of Asakusa station. You can make reservations online in advance, or you can take a rickshaw that is waiting for you in front of the station. However, some rickshaw drivers do not speak English, so it may be safer to make a reservation.

They will teach you many things as they carry you around, so you will definitely have a fulfilling tour of Asakusa after you get off the rickshaw!

Click here for travel plans to experience rickshaw rides as well.

Introduction of a rickshaw store!

Frequently Asked Q&A

The nearest stations are Asakusa Station on the Tobu Skytree Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tsukuba Express, and Toei Subway Asakusa Line (Asakusa Station Exit A4). Each is about a 5-minute walk away.

Depending on your purpose, you can visit most of the sightseeing spots in Asakusa in half a day. If you want to spend more time in Asakusa, such as picking out souvenirs or eating and walking around, a full day will give you enough time to enjoy your visit.