Up high on a rickshaw, new views of old Asakusa
Although the streets of Asakusa are familiar stomping grounds for tourists and locals alike, a ride on a jinrikisha (rickshaw) can bring a refreshing new perspective to the historic area, and even reveal a secret spot or two.
Huge rent hike set to end sweet deal for Sensoji Temple shopkeepers
One of Japan's oldest and most visited shopping streets in the heart of Tokyo's touristy Asakusa district is bracing for a massive rent hike. The 89 stores lining the narrow 250-meter-long Nakamise dori shopping strip leading up to Sensoji Temple sell anything from senbei (rice ...
Disaster drill with foreigners in mind held in major Tokyo tourist area
Some 250 people, including foreign students from a Japanese language school, took part in a natural disaster drill Wednesday that simulated a massive earthquake hitting Asakusa, a major tourist area in Tokyo's Taito Ward. The scenario of the drill assumed an earthquake registering upper 6 ...
Rising stars of kabuki run new-year Asakusa gauntlet
One of the major sightseeing spots in Tokyo, and indeed in Japan, is the city's oldest temple, Sensoji, which was founded in 645 in the Asakusa district of present-day Taito Ward. Though perpetually thronged with people, its beautiful precincts attract staggering numbers at New ...
Asakusa paints traditional Tokyo in a popular light
As one of Japan's representative tourist destinations, the Asakusa district never ceases to attract people looking for a taste of traditional downtown Tokyo. The 30 million visitors it draws each year are a testament to its popularity. Typically, an Asakusa tour starts by entering the ...
Storied family-run toy shop 'sells dreams' to Tokyo tourists
"Continuing a small toy shop for five generations is a kind of miracle,” says Masaki Terao, 58, proprietor and purse-string holder at Toys Terao, which his family has been running on Nakamise-dori in front of Asakusa's Sensoji Temple for nearly 130 years.
The giant red lantern at Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), which serves as the entrance to Sensoji Temple, made its first appearance after a once-in-a-decade makeover during a dedication ceremony Monday. This was the fifth time the lantern, the symbol of the historical Asakusa district in Taito ...
