Senso-ji Temple is a must-see when you visit Tokyo
Table of Contents
Features
As the oldest temple in Tokyo, Senso-ji Temple is a place where you can experience Japan’s rich history and traditions, and the beautiful precincts are free to enjoy, attracting many foreign tourists.
There are also many paid experiences to make your visit even more special.
Reasons for its popularity with foreign tourists
As Tokyo’s oldest temple, it was founded in 628 AD, and its magnificent architecture and tranquil gardens give visitors a real feel for Japan’s ancient culture. The Nakamise-dori street near the temple is a lively street where you can enjoy Japanese sweets and local cuisine, and we recommend eating your way around. There are also various cultural experiences on offer, including making food samples and riding in a rickshaw, so you can experience a whole host of things that are unique to Japan!
Unique cultural experiences you can enjoy
There are a variety of activities that foreign tourists can participate in at Sensoji Temple. Here we will introduce some of the most popular experiences. If you want to enjoy them all in one day, we recommend limiting yourself to 2 or 3 of the following.
If you see a plan that interests you, click on the photo! It will take you to the information page!
Kimono and yukata rental
You can experience Japanese culture first-hand by wearing a kimono or yukata and strolling around the streets of Asakusa. The cost is around 3,000 to 5,000 yen (about 20 to 35 dollars) , and you can apply directly at the rental shop, but if you make a reservation online, you can get dressed smoothly on the day
Food Sample Making
A 60-75 minute session costs around 2,500 yen (about $17) . This is a unique experience that makes a great souvenir. You can make food samples of tempura, sushi, ramen and more. They are very realistic and very popular with tourists. This is a popular plan, so we recommend making a reservation in advance!
Jinrikisha
You can enjoy a 10-minute course around the sights of Asakusa from around 3,000 yen (about 20 dollars) . The rickshaw driver, who also acts as a tour guide, will introduce you to the history of Asakusa and recommend places to visit, so you can gain a deeper knowledge of the area. For example, you can listen to explanations about the Kaminarimon Gate and the scenery around the Sumida River. Also, you can enjoy the scenery while sitting down, so it is also recommended for small children and the elderly. It can get busy on some days, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation online!
Tea Ceremony Experience
There are many classes where you can learn about the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, and the cost is around 2,000 to 3,000 yen per session (about 13 to 20 dollars) . The content is suitable for beginners, and you can make a reservation online or apply on the day.
Japanese sweets making
A popular experience where you can make and take home Japanese sweets that change with the seasons. Specifically, you can make sweets such as cherry blossom rice cakes, dango rice dumplings, and Japanese sweets with motifs of seasonal flowers. The fee is about 3,000 yen (about 20 dollars) per session, and you can make a smooth experience by making a reservation online in advance.
Ninja and Samurai Experience
This experience is available at certain facilities in Asakusa, and the price starts from around 6,000 yen (about 40 dollars) per person. The experience includes costume rental, sword fighting instruction, and roof tile breaking. We recommend making a reservation in advance at the local facility or through an online platform.
Access
The train is the most convenient way to get to Senso-ji Temple! It’s only a 5-minute walk from the nearest station, Asakusa Station, and there are lots of fun things to see along the way from the station to the temple!
The directions for the travel plans introduced on this site are as follows!
“Golden Route 1” Plan (when going from Narita Airport to Senso-ji Temple)
You can get to Senso-ji Temple from Narita Airport smoothly by train. The following two routes are convenient.
1. Keisei Skyliner + Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (fastest and most comfortable)
Travel time: approx. 1 hour
Fare: approx. 2,670 yen (approx. 18 dollars)
Route 1
1. Narita Airport Station (Keisei Skyliner) → Keisei Ueno Station (approx. 41 mins)
2. From Keisei Ueno Station, walk to Ueno Station (approx. 5 mins)
3. Ueno Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line) → Asakusa Station (approx. 5 mins)
4. From Asakusa Station, it’s a 5-minute walk to Senso-ji Temple
* As all seats on the Keisei Skyliner are reserved, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance.
2. Keisei Main Line (local train) + Toei Asakusa Line (inexpensive option)
Travel time: approx. 1 hour 30 minutes
Fare: approx. 1,290 yen (approx. $9)
Route
1. Narita Airport Station (Keisei Main Line limited express) → Oshiage Station (approx. 1 hour 10 minutes)
2. Oshiage Station (Toei Asakusa Line direct) → Asakusa Station (about 5 minutes)
3. It takes about 5 minutes on foot from Asakusa Station to Senso-ji Temple
* The Keisei Skyliner is faster than the Keisei Limited Express, but it is cheaper and involves fewer transfers.
Both routes have frequent train services, so you can get around smoothly. If you use an IC card (such as Suica or PASMO) in advance, you can avoid the hassle of buying tickets!
Food
There are so many great Japanese restaurants to choose from, but here we’ll introduce you to a popular ramen restaurant and a Japanese restaurant near the school!
The following links are recommended stores
Many Japanese gourmets write reviews that are in tune with their surroundings, so many of them rate 3 stars, and the restaurant ratings tend to be low, but they are all very tasty restaurants!
All of these restaurants are rated very highly by TripAdviser and others!
Popular Ramen Shops
• Men Mitsui(麺 みつヰ）:
A ramen shop that’s like a hidden gem, with a simple flavor. They serve salt ramen and soy sauce ramen
• Chuka Soba Billiken(中華ソバ ビリケン) :
A shop that boasts a soy sauce soup full of the delicious flavor of chicken
• Asakusa Nadai Ramen Yoroiya(浅草名代らーめん 与ろゐ屋) :
Their plum salt ramen is popular
• Ramen Menmaru(らーめん めんまる) :
Delicious traditional Chinese noodles at a low price
Popular Japanese restaurants
• Asakusa Unatetsu(浅草うな鐡) :
Enjoy the Edo-style hitamabushi at this eel restaurant
• Daikokuya Tempura Annex(大黒家天麩羅 別館) :
A famous tempura restaurant in Asakusa
• Yonekyu Honten(米久本店) :
A long-established beef hot pot restaurant where you can enjoy the finest Japanese beef
If you’re worried about making a reservation at a restaurant, please contact us! We’ll make a reservation for you:)
Accommodation
There are many attractive hotels in this area. There is a wide range of hotels, from high-end hotels costing over 50,000 yen (over $300) per person per night to more reasonably priced hotels costing under 6,000 yen (under $40) per person per night.
Japan is a country with good hygiene and public safety, so even a relatively inexpensive middle-end hotel costing around 10,000 yen (around 65 dollars) will be more than satisfactory. I’ll introduce some recommended hotels.
Please click on the image you want to see!
High-end hotels
Middle-end hotels
Reasonable hotels
Finally
I hope that you will make the most of your trip to Japan by enjoying the things you can only do in Japan and the things that are unique to Japan, and creating wonderful memories.
The reason I decided to create this website was because I saw a foreigner who had come to Japan a few years ago and was confused by the language barrier, and I was frustrated that I couldn’t help them.
Contact me about anything related to traveling in Japan!
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Have a good day!
*The yen-dollar conversion in the main text is calculated using the exchange rate of 150 yen to the dollar.