This article is based on a visit made on Sunday, 13 November 2016.
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From front to back: Kaminari-mon, Nakamise-dori, and Senso-ji.
Taken from the observation deck at the Asakusa Culture and Tourism Centre. |
After the Koishikawa Koraku garden, my next big adventure in Tokyo was a cruise along the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay on the futuristic Hotaluna ship. But before that, since the boat was to depart from Asakusa (浅草, lit. 'shallow grass'), I decided to head down early and take another walk down to the Senso-ji temple, and explore more of the temple grounds while I was in the neighbourhood.
But first, I stopped by the Asakusa Culture and Tourism Centre. Opened in 2012, and designed by the architect
Kengo Kuma (隈 研吾,
Kuma Kengo, b. 1954), this nifty building's features include a tourism information desk, conference and exhibition spaces, and a free observation deck on the 8th floor.
It was from this vantage point that I took a few pictures such as the wide shot of the Senso-ji complex at the top of this article, and this shot of the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Brewing Company headquarters. I never managed to pay Skytree another visit on this trip,
but if you'd like to read my thoughts about the first time I went there, here you go.
This visitor centre also has a diorama of the neighbourhood on display, even going as far as Ueno Park and the Skytree, with many destinations labelled.
Back on the ground, I found myself in front of the world-famous (okay, nationally-famous?) gate known as
Kaminari-mon (雷門, lit. 'thunder gate'), seemingly floating above a sea of people. It had been covered up by scaffolding the last time I was around, in 2014, but all that was gone now, allowing me to witness the gate in all its vibrant, if over-crowded, glory. The entrance is flanked by statues of
Fujin (風神,
Fūjin, lit. 'wind god') and
Raijin (雷神, lit. 'thunder god'), the Shinto gods of wind and thunder, which is a common sight for shrines and Buddhist temples alike in Japan. (NB: In Japanese, the same kanji is used for "lightning" and "thunder", so those words tend to be used interchangeably.)
And a close-up of its giant red lantern. The name of the gate, in kanji (雷門), is painted on the front of it. Because this lantern is so fragile, the one you see here is a reconstruction made in 2003, donated in honour of the 400th anniversary of the Edo period.
The Nakamise Shopping Street (仲見世商店街,
Nakamise Shōten-gai) is often lined from above by seasonal decorations. Last time it was decked with (fake) cherry flowers, this time by (fake) maple leaves.
Many of the roads intersecting Nakamise-dori were still buzzing with people, but at least I had some actual walking room. This street, Dempoin-dori, is about halfway up Nakamise.
Here's a close-up of one of the aforementioned maple leaf decorations, these ones hanging above Dempoin-dori.
An inner gate, Hozo-mon, stands in front of the main hall. Senso-ji was established in AD 645, making it the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. However, the actual buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times over the years. For example, the current main hall (below) only dates back to 1958, after having suffered damage during WWII bombing raids in March of 1945.
And, finally, the main hall. I don't know if you can see it from behind all these people, but there is a large bronze cauldron of incense sticks in front of the hall. It is considered good fortune to waft some of the smoke above your head as you make your prayers. But don't breathe in too much, because the smoke is quite bitter!
Senso-ji Temple
Hours: The temple grounds are always open. The main hall is open from 6:00 AM (or 6:30 AM from October to March) to 5:00 PM.
Cost: Free.
Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒111-0032
Access: The Kaminari-mon gate is only 1-3 minutes from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza
(G), Toei Asakusa
(A), and Tobu Skytree
(TS) lines), depending on the line and exit used. The closest exits are Ginza exit 1 and Asakusa exit A4. Either way, turn right under Kaminari-mon onto the Nakamise shopping avenue. The temple is at the end of the road, about 400 metres / ¼ mile later.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
Asakusa Culture and Tourism Centre
Hours: Open 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM. No regular closing days.
Cost: Free.
Address: 2-18-9 Kaminari-mon, Taito-ku, Tōkyō-to 〒111-0034
Access: Follow the directions above to Kaminari-mon. The Asakusa Culture and Tourism Centre is directly across the road from the gate.
Website:
(Japanese)
