Sensoji Temple

The Sensoji is also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple and is a huge Buddhist temple located in Asakusa and is one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist attractions and dates back to 645 making also Tokyo’s oldest temple. The temple was actually rebuilt in 1958 after burning down in the Tokyo bombing of 1945.

So the story goes way back in 628, two fisherman brothers netted a golden statue of Kannon who was the goddess of mercy on the Sumida River. Consequently, Sensoji was built there for the goddess of Kannon and she still stands in the temple today, but sadly is never shown to the public. Thousands of pilgrims flock to the shrine every day in the hope of seeking a favour from the goddess burning incense.

At the entrance to the temple is the kaminari-mon or “Thunder Gate”. This huge Buddhist structure with a huge paper lantern painted in red-and-black tones suggesting thunderclouds and lightning.

The approach to the temple features a colorful pedestrian lane called Nakamise Dori, it is lined with shops and many souvenir stalls and is very popular with the tourist. The stalls sell all the typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, kimono and other robes, Buddhist scrolls, toys, t-shirts, and cell-phone trinkets and so on. The shopping street has been operating along this strip for centuries.

Inside the large Hozomon main gate stands the temple’s main building amazing five storey pagoda which was built in 1973 and is devoted to Kannon Bosatsu. The area has a distinctive Japanese style garden.

The shrine is home to several festivals throughout the year including Tokyo’s largest Matsur Shinto Festival which takes place over 3 to 4 days in late spring. This festival closes off local streets from traffic to cater for the huge amount of visitors.

The temple is open 24 hours a day and is easily reached by rail from Akasakamitsuke Station, take the Tokyo Metro Subway Ginza Line to Asakusa Station. Or from Shinjuku Station, take the JR Chuo Line to Kanda. Transfer to the Tokyo Metro Subway Ginza Line and take the train to Asakusa Station. Sensoji is a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station.