Experience the Best of Japan in One Place! 16 Must-Visit Attractions in Asakusa

Asakusa is enjoyable all year round, but if you can, try to visit in May.
On the third Friday to Sunday in May, the famous Sanja Matsuri festival is held at Senso-ji Temple. You can see performances and dances by geisha, as well as portable shrines (mikoshi) being carried through the streets. It's a great chance to experience Japanese culture more deeply.

Here’s how to get to Asakusa Station, the closest station to Senso-ji Temple, from major stations in Tokyo.
Asakusa is a bit away from the main sightseeing areas in Tokyo, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time when traveling.

Most spots, except for Tokyo Skytree, are clustered around Senso-ji Temple, so you can explore on foot.
There are several convenient ways to get around, but the top recommendation is to take a rickshaw.
The rickshaw driver will guide you around Asakusa’s main attractions and share interesting facts along the way.
Enjoy the unique atmosphere of Asakusa from a rickshaw ride.
If you want to visit Tokyo Skytree, take the Tobu Skytree Line from Asakusa Station and get off at Tokyo Skytree Station.

Sensoji Temple is Asakusa’s most iconic attraction, welcoming over 30 million visitors each year. It’s one of Tokyo’s most famous temples, hosting events like New Year’s visits and Setsubun.
The Kaminarimon Gate, a symbol of Asakusa, features a huge red lantern and statues of the wind and thunder gods on either side. The Nakamise Shopping Street stretches for approx 250 meters from the gate to the main hall, lined with souvenir shops and food stalls.

Located in Asakusa, Tokyo, this is Japan’s oldest amusement park. You’ll find plenty of retro rides that have been running for generations.
There’s the country’s oldest “roller coaster” and the thrilling “Space Shot,” which drops you from 60 meters high. There are also lots of attractions for little kids, like the “Mini Ferris Wheel” and the famous “Panda Cars.”

Located in Asakusa, a place long known for its comedy culture, this theater hosts performances of “Iromono” acts like manzai (comic duos) and comic storytelling. Its official name is “Asakusa France-za Entertainment Hall Toyokan.” Legendary performers such as Kiyoshi Atsumi and Hachiro Azuma once took the stage here before becoming TV stars.
Today, the theater is open every day for afternoon shows from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Around 15 to 20 groups of comedians, from up-and-comers to veterans, perform daily. You can enjoy manzai, comic storytelling, skits, magic, acrobatics, and more.

This shrine is located next to the main hall of Senso-ji, which is famous for the Kaminarimon Gate.
It’s also called “Sanja-sama” because it enshrines the three local deities who helped establish Senso-ji.
The exact date is unknown, but it’s believed that the origin of Asakusa Shrine, known as “Sanja Gongen-sha,” dates back to the late Heian or early Kamakura period.

Kappabashi Dougu Street is a shopping street about 800 meters long, located between Asakusa and Ueno in Tokyo.
This unique street is home to around 170 shops, all related to food. You’ll find everything from cooking tools and tableware to restaurant signs for sale.
Every October, a big Tool Festival is held here. There are special sales, prize draws, and more! During the festival, food stalls line the street, so you can enjoy tasty treats as you explore.

Tokyo Skytree Town is centered around the Tokyo Skytree, a 634-meter-tall tower that serves as both a broadcasting tower and a tourist attraction. Inside the tower, there are two observation decks: the Tembo Deck at 350 meters and the Tembo Galleria at 450 meters.
At the base of the tower, you’ll find Tokyo Solamachi®, a shopping and dining complex, as well as the Tokyo Skytree East Tower office building, the Konica Minolta Planetarium “Tenku” in Tokyo Skytree Town®, and the Sumida Aquarium. This area is a popular leisure spot for both tourists from around the world and locals, especially on weekends.

This lively shopping complex brings together over 300 unique shops, giving you a real taste of Tokyo’s downtown atmosphere. The area around the 634-meter-tall Tokyo Skytree is called “Tokyo Skytree Town,” and the shopping zone is known as “Tokyo Solamachi.”
The complex is divided into West Yard, Tower Yard, and East Yard. You’ll find plenty of places to shop for fashion and lifestyle goods, plus entertainment spots like an aquarium and a planetarium.

Located on the 5th and 6th floors of the West Yard in Tokyo Skytree Town, this fully indoor aquarium uses its own artificial seawater system to create beautiful and comfortable tanks for the animals.
With the concept “The closer you get, the more you’ll love it,” you can see the creatures up close and really get to know them.

This shrine is dedicated to the deities Amateru-washino-mikoto and Yamato Takeru. It’s famous for the “Tori-no-Ichi” festival held every November on the Day of the Rooster. The day Yamato Takeru visited to give thanks for victory in battle became the shrine’s annual festival, which is said to be the origin of today’s “Tori-no-Ichi.”
During the festival, many visitors come to buy “kakkome” (rake-shaped good luck charms) said to bring good fortune and business success.

This park stretches along the west bank of the Sumida River in Taito City. On the other side, the park along the east bank is Sumida City Sumida Park. The park covers over 10 hectares and features many cherry trees, especially around the Sakura Plaza.

Asakusa Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street has a history of approx 90 years since it opened in the early Showa era. While Nakamise Shopping Street runs from Kaminarimon Gate to Senso-ji Temple, Shin-Nakamise crosses Asakusa from east to west. It’s the largest shopping street in Asakusa, stretching 380 meters and divided into five areas.

Located right in front of Kaminarimon, this tourist information center is based on the concept of “Discover, Show, Support.” It provides information about Asakusa and Taito City.

On the first floor, you’ll find an information counter offering guidance in four languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean), a currency exchange, and a ticket center for performances. The second floor has a tourist information area with search terminals, free Wi-Fi, and travel magazines. The 6th and 7th floors are multi-purpose and exhibition spaces, introducing Taito City’s highlights, history, and events.

This historic shrine is dedicated to Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, said to be the first married couple in Japanese mythology. It’s famous for bringing good luck in finding love. Since 2008, the shrine has regularly held “Enmusubi-kai” matchmaking events, making it even more popular as a place to pray for good relationships. On weekends and even weekdays, many people visit to wish for a good match.

This shopping street is the main approach to Senso-ji Temple. It stretches Approx 250 meters from the Kaminarimon Gate to the Hozomon Gate, lined with restaurants and souvenir shops on both sides of the stone-paved path. Known as "Nakamise," it features around 90 shops and is always lively with visitors to Senso-ji and tourists from Japan and abroad.

With TOKYO CRUISE, you can enjoy a relaxing boat trip along the Sumida River while taking in Tokyo’s famous sights. The Sumida River Line departs from Asakusa and passes under 12 bridges, including Azumabashi and Kiyosubashi, and offers views of Tokyo Skytree and the Asahi Group headquarters. The Odaiba Line connects Hinode Pier and Odaiba Seaside Park, letting you see the Rainbow Bridge and the Statue of Liberty from the water.

Founded in 860 (Jōgan 2), this historic shrine is said to have been established by the Buddhist monk Jikaku Daishi Ennin, after receiving a divine message from the incarnation of Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The shrine enshrines three deities: Susanoo-no-Mikoto, known for blessings like a good harvest, matchmaking, and protection from misfortune; Ame-no-hohi-no-Mikoto, the sun and rice deity; and Sadatoki Shinno-no-Mikoto, who is associated with agriculture and academic success. Because of this, Ushijima Shrine is widely respected as a place where people come to pray for many different wishes.

Founded in 1895, this beloved restaurant has been a local and tourist favorite for over 130 years.
Their signature dish, sukiyaki, uses carefully selected female Japanese Black Wagyu beef, chosen by expert buyers from all over Japan. As a certified Kobe beef dealer, they source Kobe beef from two contracted farms in Hyogo Prefecture. They also pay special attention to the vegetables, using premium Senju green onions known as the “green onion among green onions,” and thick, fragrant shiitake mushrooms that pair perfectly with the sukiyaki sauce.

Founded in 1868, Kimuraya Main Store is the oldest ningyo-yaki (doll-shaped cake) shop in Asakusa.
Located at the far end of Nakamise Street, just before the Hozomon Gate of Senso-ji Temple, the shop is always bustling with tourists.
Their signature ningyo-yaki, made with a recipe passed down from the original owner, features a simple dough of flour and eggs filled with smooth red bean paste. The mild sweetness and rustic flavor make them easy to eat—one after another.

Opened in 1880, Kamiya Bar is known as Japan’s first bar. It was loved by many famous writers, including Osamu Dazai and Katai Tayama, and often appears in their works.
The current building, located right by Azumabashi in Asakusa, was built in 1921 and is a registered tangible cultural property of Japan.
Their signature “Denki Bran” cocktail is an original creation by the founder.

OZEKI is a local supermarket chain with stores across Tokyo.
The Asakusa Kaminarimon store is just approx 100 meters from the iconic Senso-ji Temple’s Kaminarimon Gate, a top sightseeing spot in Asakusa.
What makes OZEKI special is that each store’s buyer goes directly to the market to select products. Thanks to their expert eye, you’ll find only high-quality items here. You can shop with confidence, which is one of the highlights.

Located in the heart of Kappabashi Dougu Street, where you’ll find everything from professional to home kitchenware. Out of all the shopping spots in Motoasakusa, this place is packed with the charm of Japanese food culture. Take home a traditional craft that’s essential to Japanese cuisine as a souvenir. Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya is run by Iwasaki Co., a long-established company known for making food samples for restaurant displays. Here, you can buy unique items made with their expert techniques.

Kamaasa Shoten is a specialty store for cooking tools, founded in 1908. Their concept is “Good tools have good reason.” They carefully select high-quality tools, crafted by artisans from all over Japan, and passed down through generations. Kamaasa Shoten’s motto is to enrich Japanese food culture through these special tools. In spring 2018, they opened their first overseas branch in Paris, France.

Sanja Matsuri takes place over three days, from Friday to Sunday, starting on the third Saturday of May every year in Asakusa, Tokyo. This is the main festival of Asakusa Shrine, affectionately known as “Sanja-sama.” It’s one of Japan’s most famous festivals, drawing approx 1.8 million visitors over three days.

The whole town comes alive with samba rhythms during the Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest, held on the last Saturday of August. This is the biggest samba event in Japan. Over 5,000 participants from all over the country join the parade contest every year. Teams compete for the top prize with creative floats, costumes, and choreography inspired by Rio’s authentic style. It’s a major summer event that wraps up the season in style.