Asakusa: 2-hour history exploration

This tour allows you to experience an in-depth history tour in the most expedient but insightful manner. Enjoy the tour chock-full of interesting stories around development of Asakusa and Tokyo.

Specifically, we will demystify intriguing historical facts including:
1) Why Sumida river is an origin of Senso-ji temple
2) How Senso-ji temple and Asakusa developed hand in hand
3) How Asakusa has become a forerunner of Japan's modernization
4) How the culture that flourished in the area impacted the world

Other important features of the tour are:
1) Use of headsets to hear the guide clearly even from a distance; applicable to a group of 3 or more.
2) Tasting Japanese sweet snacks just made in the back the shops.
3) Each group is limited to 10 participants.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Sumida River, Tokyo Prefecture

Just as Asakusa’s history started by the Sumida river, so do our tours. Across the Azumabashi bridge, we will see Tokyo Sky Tree, Asahi Breweries' headquarters with its world-famous golden flame object.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, 2-18-9 Kaminarimon, Taito 111-0034 Tokyo Prefecture

From Sumida river, we will stroll to Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. This is not not just a valuable source of sightseeing information, but one of Asakusa’s newest sightseeing attractions. This 8-story building, designed by a world famous Japanese architect, has a very striking structure with the appearance of a stack of separate wooden buildings that seem piled up on top of each other at different angles. From the open terrace Observation Deck on the 8th floor of the Center, we will have a preview of the entire tour course: not just Tokyo Sky Tree and Asahi Flame we have just seen but the landmarks we are going to see including Kaminarimon gate, Nakamise shopping street, Hozomon gate, Sensoji Temple, and more.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan

Kaminarimon gate ("Thunder Gate") is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple. The gate, with its huge red lantern and statues, is popular among tourists. The guide will demystify this giant lantern and its surrounding objects.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon), 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture

This shopping street connects Kaminarimon gate and Sensoji-temple's main gate. The 250 m approach is lined with a number of souvenir shops and food stalls. The guide will show you where to buy souvenirs you are interested in. The other fun part of strolling along it is that the guide will buy you traditional snacks in Asakusa; note that the guide may buy snacks in other places in the tour based on your preferences.
Toward the end of this long street, we will see a history tablets on its side which depict how Asakusa started and developed around Sensoji-temple.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Hozomon, 2-3-2 Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture

The Hōzōmon (Treasure-House Gate) is the inner of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple (the outer being the Kaminarimon), Tokyo. A two-story gate, the Hōzōmon's second story houses many of the Sensō-ji's treasures. We will see two statues, three lanterns and two large sandals housed in the first story.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Senso-ji Temple, 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture

Between Hozomon gate and Sensoji's main hall, we have a lot to see and do. On the left, we will see Five-storied Pagoda the second highest (53m-high) pagoda in Japan. It holds Buddha's ashes on its top floor given by Sri Lankan goverment. We will have three major things to observe or do before entering the temple's main hall.
First:
- You may draw omikuji, or paper fortune, to predict your future.
Second:
- Most Japanese stop at the huge bronze incense burner to bathe their hands and faces in the smoke. This is a ritual to ward off illnesses before climbing the stairs to offer their prayers.
Third:
- Water purification fountain which people use to purify themselves before going inside the temple. You will also see a famous sculpture perching on the fountain.

We will now proceed to the main hall of the temple which is the climax of the tour. Look forward to what you will see and the guide will recount there!

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Asakusa Shrine, 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture

To those familiar with religions, it is unfathomable that Busshist temple and shinto shrine coexist on the same premises and share both their origins and worshipers. In that sense, Asakusa shrine is not just another shinto shrine in Japan. The guide will tell you why and you will found how these two religions are ingrained in life of the ordinary Japanese.

Duration: 15 minutes

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.