Sightseeing

Asakusa

1Senso-ji (Temple)

Sensoji is a famous temple with a long, proud history dating back around 1,400 years. It is one of Tokyo's most popular sightseeing spots, and many tourists gather there. The story of the temple's origin begins with the enshrinement of a statue of Shokanzeon Bosatsu, the bodhisattva of compassion, was pulled out of the lower reaches of the nearby Sumida River.
In addition to visiting the numerous historical buildings on the temple grounds, visitors can also enjoy browsing the rows of shops that lead up to the temple entrance. In addition to the famous Nakamise Street there are also several other shopping streets, including Denbouin Street to the south of the temple grounds, and the Okuyama Omairi-machi shopping arcade to the north.
These streets and others in the surrounding area have many quaint and individualistic shops, which come highly recommended for visitors hoping to find a unique souvenir of Asakusa.

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
6:00*-17:00 (*open from 6:30 between October and March)
Fixed holidays
None (open every day)
Admission fee, etc.
Free viewing
Phone number
+81-3-3842-0181
Address
2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
About 10 minutes' walk from Asakusa Station

2Asakusa Engei Hall

Asakusa Engei Hall is a performance venue where two major rakugo (traditional Japanese comedic storytelling) associations, the Rakugo Kyokai (with members like Koasa Shunputei) and the Rakugo Geijutsu Kyokai (with members such as Koyuza Sanyutei), take turns to stage rakugo performances. The hall has a proud history dating back to 1964, and has over 300 audience seats, making it one of the largest venues of its kind in Tokyo. Another distinctive feature is that the hall puts on a wide variety of performances 365 days a year, with no holidays, including not only rakugo but also manzai (Japanese stand-up comedy), comedy sketches, magic shows, papercutting and acrobatics.

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
11:40-16:30, 16:40-21:00 (opening times differ depending on the season)
Fixed holidays
None (open every day)
Admission fee, etc.
Adults: 3000 yen
Students: 2500 yen
Children: 1500 yen
(Discounts are available for nighttime shows, excluding special performances.)
Phone number
+81-3-3841-6545
Address
1-43-12 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
Very near to Asakusa station

3Marugoto Nippon

As its name suggests, Marugoto Nippon ("Everything Japan") is an indoor market / shopping mall designed around the concept of offering local goods from all of Japan's 47 prefectures under one roof. The market has around 50 stores which are familiar in their local areas, including stores that are appearing in Tokyo for the first time, and municipal booths operated by cities, towns and villages from around Japan.
The building is divided into differently themed areas by floor, making it easy even for first-time users to enjoy. The 1st floor offers food products, while the 2nd floor offers various miscellaneous goods and cosmetics. The 3rd floor is reserved for municipality PR booths, and the 4th floor offers a range of restaurant dining options.

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
Vary by store
Fixed holidays
None (open every day)
Admission fee, etc.
-
Phone number
+81-3-3845-0510
Address
Floors 1-4 Tokyo Rakutenchi Asakusa Bldg., 2-6-7 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
Very near to Asakusa station

4Kappabashi Dougu Street

The origins of this shopping street can be traced back to the early Taisho era (1912-), when the Shinhori River flowed through the Kappabashi area and merchants first began to gather in the district, selling old tools and hardware.
The street runs a length of around 800m, from the Kikuyabashi crossing to Kototoi Street, and has over 150 specialist stores selling everything from tableware to cooking equipment.
With an extensive array of convenient kitchenware and high-spec professional use items on display, even non-chefs can enjoy browsing the many stores.

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
Vary by store
Fixed holidays
Vary by store
Admission fee, etc.
-
Phone number
+81-3-3844-1225
(Tokyo Kappabashi Dougu Street Promotion Union office)
Address
1 to 4 Matsugaya and 1 to 3 Nishiasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
Around 6 minutes' walk from Asakusa station

5Tokyo Asakusa Funawa

For over 100 years since its initial founding, Funawa has become known as the go-to Japanese confectionary store for Tokyo omiyage (souvenirs and gifts given to people after a trip).
The sweet potato yokan-which make effective use of the natural flavor of the potatoes-are most appealing with their elegant sweetness and smooth texture, created through an expert blend of sweet potato, sugar, and just a small amount of salt.
The anko-dama (bean-paste balls) are another popular item, available in a range of flavors including adzuki (red mung bean) and matcha (green tea).
There is also an instore Japanese sweet café, where visitors can enjoy sweet potato yokan, as well as other sweets such as shiruko (sweet adzuki bean porridge) and anmitsu (traditional Japanese jelly dessert).

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
Shop: 10:00-19:00
(Saturdays: 9:30-20:00,
Sundays and holidays: 9:30-19:30)
Café: 10:30-19:00*
(Saturdays: 10:00-20:00*,
Sundays and holidays: 10:00-19:30*)
*Last order: 30 minutes before closing
Fixed holidays
None (open every day)
Admission fee, etc.
-
Phone number
+81-3-3842-2781
Address
1-22-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
Around 5 minutes' walk from Asakusa station
Website URL

6Kimono Rental Wargo (Tokyo Asakusa Store)

One recommended activity for visitors is to enjoy the retro atmosphere of Asakusa by walking the streets dressed in authentic Japanese kimono. Kimono Rental Wargo is a kimono rental shop with an extensive range of over 4,000 fashionable, colorfully-designed kimono to choose from. In addition to its reasonable pricing plans, customers will also be pleased to know that the store offers a free accessory rental service, enabling customers to borrow bags and ornamental hairpins free of charge. With a wide range of plans available (including next-day return), you can choose the ideal plan to suit your preferences.

Details of stores and facilities
Business hours
9:00-18:00
Fixed holidays
None (open every day)
Admission fee, etc.
Standard kimono plan: 2900 yen
Couple plan: 5600 yen
Antique kimono plan: 5900 yen, etc.
Phone number
+81-3-5830-7735
Address
1st & 2nd Floors, Atelier Building, 1-41-8 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Access
Around 5 minutes' walk from Asakusa Station