Why the
Asakusa Kannon Temple
is special

This Tokyo wonder is Japan's liveliest temple. It's best as a tourism destination when it's crowded.

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Top 3
Asakusa Kannon Temple
attractions

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The Asakusa temple complex (Sensu-ji in Japanese) comprises a number of interesting attractions. The best three:

Main Hall

The architecture and carvings of this large edifice are eye catching. The temple dates back to the 7th century. It was destroyed several times through the years by earthquakes, fires, and even a Second World War bombing. Each time the structure was rebuilt reasonably faithful to the original design.

Annual events

Many exciting festivals and other people magnets are held in the Asakusa Kannon Temple locale. The two best are:

Sanja Matsuri (May)

This Shinto festival is Tokyo's grandest and most popular. The streets pulses with energy.

New Year's

The Asakusa Kannon Temple area is packed with worshippers (and onlookers) who come to pray for a happy, prosperous year. It goes on for several days, beginning New Year's Eve.

Kaminarimon

A 4 meter (15-foot) high paper lantern hangs boldly from the massive Kaminarimon gate. It's a splendid photo opportunity, especially at night when the lantern glows vibrantly red.

Other major attractions include a 5-story pagoda, the Asakus Jinja Shrine, and the bustling souvenir and food stalls lining the street leading to the temple.

What I don't recommended is the carnival-style park abutting the site. There's nothing particularly special about it.

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Site map

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Japan National Tourism Office

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Photo ©Y. Shimzu/©JNTO

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