Asakusa in Tokyo is a rich mix of the old and new Japan, where the remains of Tokyo’s old Shitamachi city and historic temples combine with tall skyscrapers and an epic entertainment district.
Asakusa is perhaps most famous for the Senso-ji Temple and its extensive grounds but there is so much more to do.
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From daytime river cruises and underground shopping streets to the night-time delights (including an ‘underground’ ninja sake bar), Asakusa is an awesome Tokyo neighbourhood to visit day or night.
With delicious food and free activities like the Asakusa Observatory or a walk along Sumida River, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets in Tokyo’s Asakusa.
From Nakamise-dori shopping street to rickshaw rides and kimono rental, here is our ultimate guide to Asakusa in Tokyo, Japan with photos.
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How to get to Asakusa in Tokyo
The best way to get to Asakusa is by getting the train to Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station (浅草駅) – which has the Asakusa, Ginza, Ryomo, Tobu Railway and Tobu Skytree lines running through it.
Asakusa Station is centrally located and around a 1 minute walk to Sensō-ji shrine and all the main Asakusa shopping streets.
Asakusa is very easy to walk around but a fun way to do sightseeing is via a rickshaw ride with an experienced tour guide.
If you are visiting Asakusa from Odaiba, then you can arrive in style on a Tokyo Water Bus River Cruise via Ryogoku.
How to get to Asakusa from the airport
To get from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Asakusa, it is around a 50 minute direct journey on the Keikyu Airport line.
To get from Tokyo Narita International Airport to Asakusa, it is around a 1 hour 15 minute journey, using the Skyliner electric train from Narita to Nippori station, then taking the Ginza Line or Hokuso Line to Asakusa.
Alternatively, for stress free travel (especially if you have lots of bags), book a private transfer from the Tokyo airports to Asakusa.
Asakusa accommodation and recommended hotels
Budget ($)
Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Hostel with with English speaking staff offering both dorms and private twin rooms, communal kitchen and lounge. Check rates and availability for Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Gracery Asakusa
Popular hotel chain with functional rooms, located a short walk away from the metro station and Sensō-ji temple. We stayed here and loved the central location. Check rates and availability for Hotel Gracery
Luxury ($$$)
The Gate Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon by Hulic
Modern and stylish hotel with dark-wood furnishings, located a 2-minute walk from the subway station. Facilities include a French cuisine restaurant with outdoor roof terrace. Check rates and availability for The Gate Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon by Hulic
Check out the best hotels in Asakusa via Booking.com >
Plan My Japan tip – As Asakusa is so popular, accommodation can be expensive so you might want to consider staying in the nearby neighbourhood of Ryogoku. Ryogoku is a short walk along the river from Asakusa, plus is the historic home of sumo wrestling in Japan (it is where the national sumo wrestling stadium is located as well).
Asakusa, Tokyo – 28 top things to do
1. Asakusa Observatory (Free)
We start our ‘Asakusa Tokyo Things to do list’ with the best way to get a feel for the whole area from up high – head to the free Asakusa Observatory atop the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.
Located on the top floor, the viewing deck is open daily from 9am until 10pm and offers stunning views of Sensō-ji temple, nearby Nakamise-dori Street plus a view of the Sumida River and the Asahi Golden Flame building (jokingly known locally as the ‘golden turd’ due to its interesting shape – more on this later).
One of the best free things to do in Asakusa, the observatory can be accessed via the lifts. The tourist information centre below is also very useful with information leaflets in various languages, incredibly helpful staff and some cute Asakusa souvenirs.
You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
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Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
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Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide
2. Nakamise-dori Street
One of Asakausa’s main shopping streets and located in the shadow of Sensō-ji, Nakamise-dori Street has been around since the 17th century (although they weren’t likely selling Doraemon figures or gachapon toys back then).
Nakamise-dori Street has dozens of small stalls selling everything from traditional suites to kimonos, cute Kawaii toys to religious trinkets.
Given Nakamise-dori shopping area comprises long streets of shops running in parallel to each other, it can get VERY busy at times, especially during public holidays, weekends and in the New Year. We were lucky enough to spend New Year’s Day here once and it was rammed!
At the main entrance to Nakamise-dori, look for the Kaminarimon Gate / Thunder Gate, which has guardian statues atop, some with old heads and young bodies.
Plan My Japan tip – many of the stalls sell the same things so if you want to grab bargains, look around and browse before buying – this is how we managed to secure Doraemon keyrings at discount!
Love cute and ‘kawaii’ stores in Japan?
Check out our shopping guides!
• Tokyo Character Street stores
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• Doraemon Future Department store
• B-Side Label stores
• Mandarake stores
• Best Gachapon Capsule toys
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Plus our guide to the best kawaii things to do in Tokyo >
3. Sensō-ji
Is this Tokyo’s most beautiful temple? If not, Sensō-ji is certainly the busiest temple in Tokyo given its urban setting and close proximity to the Metro.
Although many of the buildings are quite recent due to the bombing in World World II, Sensō-ji was first established in 645 AD making it Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple.
Also known as Asakusa Kannon, Sensō-ji is the city’s most sacred and sublime Buddhist temple (although not necessarily the most serene given all the crowds and tourists).
Sensō-ji is a must do attraction in Asakusa, just to see locals at worship, explore the grounds and see the guardians of Hōzōmon Gate.
The grounds contain a five storey pagoda which you can see from all over Asakusa, the main hall which houses the original Kannon image.
In 628 AD, several fishermen were said to pulled out a small gold statue of Kannon – the Buddhist goddess of Mercy. The small shrine to Kannon then grew over the years becoming Sensō-ji.
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We love using booking.com and agoda.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
4. Asakusa Underground Street
Top Tokyo shopping, subterranean style! Tokyo’s oldest underground shopping area built in the 1950s, Asakusa Underground Street is home to Japanese eateries, vintage record stores, dodgy DVDs, a ninja sake bar and more.
It is a cool way to exit Asakusa station and browse all the basement bargains and vintage shops – atmospheric AF, also be aware it can be quite damp and slippery in parts.
As well accessible from the Metro station and a couple of staircases by Shin-Nakamise arcade, this is also a great way to get into the Matsuya department store basement food court, full of delicious and cheap Japanese food (one of Asakusa’s foodie hidden gems).
5. NinjaBar Asakusa
Heard about the ‘underground’ ninja bar in Tokyo? Asakusa is usually associated with Sensō-ji Kappabashi street but beneath its streets lies a very unique and unusual thing to do in Tokyo – the subterranean NinjaBar, Tokyo’s top themed ninja bar.
A sake and beer bar operated by a secretive and stealthy ninja, the NinjaBar is a fun night out in Asakusa and a fun experience with over 300 sakes to choose from.
From the quirky interiors to drink prices (and the samurai sword toilet key), release your inner ‘otaku’ with our full guide to drinking in Tokyo’s NinjaBar >
Try this – Samurai Training Tokyo Asakusa >
6. Don Quijote Asakusa
Don Quijote Japan discount department stores are home to thousands of items generally at low prices, from sneakers to stationery, Hello Kitty to crazy Kit Kat flavours (plus more interesting ‘adult sections’ selling TENGA and more).
There are over 600 Don Quijote stores in Japan including around 50 extra large MEGA Don Quijote shops.
Japan’s most joyful discount store, Don Quijote Asakusa is open 24 hours a day and is also a good place to buy cheap alcohol, fashion goods, Japanese souvenirs and pharmaceuticals. You can benefit from tax free shopping too if you take your passport.
Check our epic guide to Don Quijote stores in Japan here – or read about our trip aboard Japan’s only Don Quijote ferris wheel in Osaka here >
Do you love all things Don Quijote and Don Don Donki? Join our Donki Fans Facebook group!
Try this – Asakusa, Tokyo’s #1 Family Food Tour >
7. Asakusa Hanayashiki
Dating back to the 1850s, Asakusa Hanayashiki is amazingly Japan’s oldest amusement park.
Starting life as a flower park before then becoming a zoo, Asakusa Hanayashiki is now home to various theme park rides and gachapons galore.
Aimed at smaller kids, rides include a merry-go-round, swan boat rides, a small pirate ship plus their famous panda cars – this place really puts the kitsch into Asakusa.
2024 admission fees for the amusement park are 1,200 Yen per adult, 600 Yen for children between 5 and 12, plus free admission for children 4 years and younger.
You might like – Plan My Japan’s Guide to 10+ Tokyo Sumo Wrestling Activities >
8. Asakusa Nishi-sandō shopping street
Close to Senso Ji, Asakusa Nishi-sandō Shopping Street is an all weather affair, with dozens of shops, izakaya bars and restaurants under one roof.
Aasakua Nishi-sando (浅草西参道商店街) is an alleyway mall dating back to the 1950s, with places to shop and eat in along either side.
Often strewn with lanterns or decorations during festivals and public holidays, some of the most popular places to eat along Asakusa Nishi-sandō Shopping Street include Warabimochi Motoko (magical mochi) and Hokkaido Milk Bar.
Try this – Asakusa Cultural Walk and Matcha Making Tour >
9. Asakusa Shrine
A small Shinto shrine close to Senso-ji, this is also a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of the more popular temple nearby.
Asakusa shrine was built in the late 1640s in honour of the fishermen who established Senso-ji – it is one of only two historic buildings in the area to survive the World War II bombing and is marked by a large grey Torii gate at its entrance.
Try this – From Asakusa: Old Tokyo, Temples, Gardens and Pop Culture >
10. Tonkatsu Oribe restaurant
Here at Plan My Japan, we love Japanese Tonkatsu and dare we say we’ve eaten dozens in our time spent in Japan.
We’ve raved about the cheap chain delights of Matsunoya Tonkatsu but in terms of our favourite / best tonkatsu in Tokyo, it has to be Tonkatsu Oribe restaurant in Asakusa.
Tonkatsu Oribe takes tonkatsu to the top tier (try saying that with a mouthful of tender pork tonkatsu).
The quality of meat here was so incredible and it is served medium so the tonkatsu retains its juices and the breadcrumb batter is spot on!
It is making our mouths water just thinking about it – even their tonkatsu sauce is so rich and they used a special rock-salt to bring out the flavours.
There are only two Tonkatsu Oribe restaurants in Tokyo (and Japan) – Tonkatsu Oribe Asakusa branch and Tonkatsu Oribe Kanda Jinbocho branch. Eat here and you will not be disappointed!
Try this – Top things to do and tours in Asakusa >
11. Asakusa Yokocho
Asakusa Yokocho is a neon hotbed of cool street food eateries and Japanese restaurants with some top theming (you can even pose as a ninja next to a well ‘lit’ neon background).
As well as an epic epicurean experience day or night, you can hire traditional costumes here plus in the daytime, there is a nice outdoor terrace (although not on the scale of Asakusa Observatory).
Inside, you’ll find everything from iconic izakaya bars to sushi and sashimi plus Korean fried chicken. People come here for the festive theming of Asakusa Yokocho so some say this appears to be the focus more so than the food quality.
Try this – Asakusa Night Tour with Tokyo Skytree Tickets >
12. Tokyo River Cruise / Water Boat from Asakusa to Odaiba
Head on down to the Sumida River and jump aboard a sleek cruise boat at Asakusa Hinode Pier – the boats shuttle between Asakusa and Odaiba on a regular basis and will stop by request at Ryogoku.
We did the boat from Odaiba to Asakusa and it is an amazing way to see Tokyo from the water – just remember to duck underneath the bridges!
The Tokyo river boat cruise fare from Asakusa to Odaiba is 1,200 Yen per adult as of May 2024.
The Asakusa to Ryogoku river boat fare is currently 400 Yen per adult.
Find our more about the Tokyo cruises and timetables here >
Book your Asakusa to Odaiba Mizube Line River Cruise with Viator.
You might like our guide to the best things to do in Odaiba, Tokyo >
Try this – Tokyo downtown bicycle tour Tokyo Backstreets Bike Tour >
13. Kimono Rental
Given all of the historic temples and ancient alleyways in Asakusa, traditional kimono rental is a popular activity to explore the streets and sights.
You can either hire costumes and take them out for the day or some kimono rental agencies can also organise professional photographers to accompany you.
There are several places to hire kimonos in Asakusa including:
- Kimono Yae Rental Experience in Asakusa >
- Kimono Rental Experience at Kimono Komachi Ruri Asakusa >
- Traditional Kimono Rental Experience at WARGO Asakusa >
You might like – Tsukiji Outer Market Tokyo (formerly Tsukiji Fish Market) Guide + Photos >
14. Asakusa Street food
Asakusa is a great neighbourhood for cute street food snacks and desserts. Some delicious bites you can find include:
- Mont blanc matcha ice cream from Chacha Futatsume
- Melonpan from Asakusa Kagetsudō
- Tempura Crisps from Asakusa Seisakusho
- Mitarashi dango from Asakusa Soratsuki or Kikuya
- Unagi yaki-onigiri from Asakusa Unana
- Kare Pan (Curry Bread) from Tokyo Curry Pan
- Cream soda from Taisho Romankan
- Matcha desserts and beer from Kaminari Issa
- Sweet potato desserts from Imoyasu or Imo Pippi
- Menchi katsu meat croquette from Asakusa Menchi
- Takosen (takoyaki taco) from Asakusa Taco-Taco Koromo Brothers
Try this – 2-Hour Asakusa Food Hunt & Cultural Tour with a local guide >
15. Asakusa Rickshaw ride
The best way to see Asakusa has to be with a traditional rickshaw ride – let your licensed guide take the strain and carry you across Asakusa (seriously, their legs are so muscly).
Rickshaw rides typically last anything from 30 to 70 mins and are also a great place to access old buildings and temples like Senso-ji where cars are not allowed.
See old world Toyo and epic Edo period experiences from the comfort of your own carriage.
Try these rickshaw experiences
- Tokyo Rickshaw Experience Tour with Licensed Guide >
- Sushi making experience + rickshaw tour >
- Rickshaw Ride in Asakusa with GetYourGuide >
16. Daikon Radish festival at Matsuchiyama Shoden
Yes, you read that right – in addition to the more famous Asakusa annual Sanja Matsuri festival, there is a lesser known daikon radish festival held every 7th January at Matsuchiyama Shoden.
We were lucky enough to catch Daikon Radish festival one January afternoon whereby worshippers gift daikon radishes to the deity Shōden.
Hundreds of radishes are left in the main hall at Matsuchiyama Shoden, culminating in them being chopped up, served with miso and given back to locals.
The Tokyo Daikon Radish festival at Matsuchiyama Shoden lasts one day (7th January) and we also witnessed a traditional dance show and puppetry performances. The daikon radish festival is free to attend.
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17. Kappabashi Street and ‘Sampuru’
Asakusa’s Kappabashi Street is a culinary gem – often referred to as Tokyo’s Kitchen Tool Street or fake food capital, this is where you can buy a huge range of kitchenware, Japanese knives plus a cavalcade of cutlery.
Better yet, Kappabashi street is where you can make your very own plastic Japanese foods (‘Sampuru’) – the ones you see in numerous restaurant windows.
You can make everything from plastic pork dishes to Sampuru sushi – talk about fantastic plastic. It looks good enough to eat (but please don’t)!
Try these Kappabashi street tours and food making experiences or this Japanese Plastic Food Making Experience.
You might like – Our guide to Tokyo’s largest Uniqlo in Ginza, Tokyo >
18. Taiyaki Sharaku
Time for some Taikyaki! Tokyo’s top Taiyaki shop is right here in Asakusa. If you haven’t tried taiyaki before, it is a famous Japanese dessert dish, usually served in a fish shape with a creamy or gooey filling inside like chocolate or red-bean.
A hole in the wall affair and family run business owned by an old couple, Taiyaki Sharaku is warm and filling plus not too overly sweet or sickly – it is also one of the cheapest sweet treats to try in Tokyo too!
You might like – 35 Japanese foods you must try >
19. Hoppy Street
Kanpai to Asakusa’s Hoppy Street, packed full of izakayas, outdoor bars and a generally very merry place to be in Tokyo!
Hoppy Street lives up to its name and is full of boozed up characters, happy hours galore and some delicious smelling soul food like yakitori skewers or steaming bowls of ramen.
Open until very late, this is an awesome and atmospheric drinking street to visit at night, sip some sake and get friendly with the local – so hop on over to Hoppy Street.
Try this – Meiji Shrine, Asakusa Temple and Tokyo Tower Day Tour >
20. Sanrio Gift Gate Asakusa
You may well have already seen Asakusa’s famous Sanrio Gift Gate shop already as there are so many TikTok and Instagram videos about it – it is easy to spot as there is a huge Hello Kitty welcoming you outside.
With several floors of Sanrio souvenirs, here you’ll find all your favourite cute and Kawaii characters from Kuromi to Keroppi, Pompompurin to Pocaccho. It is also one of the best places in Tokyo for Gudetama gifts – eggs-cellent stuff!
Sanrio Gift Gate is open 7 days a week from 11am to 6.30pm.
Try this – Tokyo: Sushi Making Cooking Class in Asakusa >
21. Suzukien Asakusa
A matcha made in heaven, Suzukien Asakusa is renowned for its matcha gelato and sublime sweet treats.
There are several levels of richness / matcha strength to choose from (a n-’ice touch) and you can opt for a cone or bowl.
Level 7 matcha gelato is said to have one of the highest matcha concentrations in the world plus their hojicha and black sesame dessert is highly recommended.
If you don’t fancy gelato, you can purchase a matcha chocolate set that has all 7 flavours and levels of matcha – a tea-riffic taste sensation!
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22. Edo Taitō Traditional Crafts Center
Get up close to arts and old fashioned techniques at the Edo Taitō Traditional Crafts Museum, with a charming and compact collection of over 200 exhibits over two floors, including Edo-kiriko (cut glass).
A free thing to do in Asakusa, this is a nice thing to do on a rainy afternoon but perhaps not an essential Asakusa activity.
Try this – Tokyo Japanese Dance Cabaret at Theater Asakusa-Kaguwa >
23. Sumida Park
A nice little park to escape the business of Asakusa, Sumida Park blooms into life every spring with some epic displays of cherry blossom / sakura.
It is a small stretch of riverside parkland and a nice way to see the cruise boats and a cool view of the Tokyo Skytree and surrounding skyline. It is also the home to the annual Sumida River fireworks display every July.
Love green spaces in Tokyo? Check out our guide to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo >
24. View the golden turd of Asakusa AKA Asahi Beer Tower
One of the funniest things to do in Asakusa is to head to the river and see the ‘golden turd’ – well it isn’t actually that but many locals think it resembles this – and we don’t want to ‘poo-poo’ the idea.
Walk down to Sumida River Walk by Azuma Bridge and take a look up – you’ll see the Asahi Beer Head Office (said to look like a pint of beer).
The sculpture on the top is meant to look like a yellow flame as well but the locals jokingly refer to it as the ‘golden turd’. Genius!
Actually, we went to the building one day and there is a nice Asahi craft beer bar inside plus a huge beer hall, Flamme d’or. So raise a glass and enjoy an ice-cold beer after a day of exploring – kanpai!
You might like – Our guide to Tokyo’s oldest beer hall, Ginza Lion beer hall >
25. Tokyo Go Kart
See Asakusa from a different angle by go-kart. Whizz around the streets of Tokyo driving through the coolest Tokyo neighbourhoods including Akihabara, Shinjuku and Asakusa.
Dress up as your favourite cartoon character and release your inner otaku.
You can pay extra for an action camera – please note an international drivers licence is required to go street karting in Tokyo.
Book your Tokyo Go Kart with Viator or Get Your Guide.
26. Sumida River walk to Ryogoku
One of our favourite activities when staying in Asakusa was to walk over to the Sumida River from Asakusa to Ryogoku, to visit all the sumo wrestling activities.
The walk from Asakusa to Ryogoku’s famous Samurai Sword Museum takes just over 20 minutes along the Sumida river banks.
There is a little bit of street art along the way plus you’ll see all the boats coming and going between Odaiba and Asakusa.
You might like – Things to do in Odaiba, Tokyo >
27. Asakusa Tea Shops and Tasting
Given the historic status and numerous old alleyways in Asakusa, it comes as no surprise that there are numerous tea shops and ceremonies you can enjoy.
Chazen is a relatively new tea room where you can make traditional Japanese sweets and matcha tea.
Or you can learn about Chado in Asakusa, a traditional zen tea ceremony which links mindfulness with tea-making in an authentic tea-room setting.
Alternatively you can book this Kimono Tea Ceremony at Tokyo Maikoya.
One of the more relaxing things to do in Asakusa, this is definitely our ‘cup of tea’.
You might like – Our guide to Studio Ghibli Clock in Ginza, Tokyo >
Asakusa, Tokyo – Our final thing to do
28. Asakusa Festivals
Given Asakusa is one of Tokyo’s biggest and best known neighbourhoods, there are lots of festivals (and not just the radish festival we mentioned earlier).
Popular Asakusa festivals include:
- Sumida River Fireworks festival – held annually every June
- Sanja Matsuri – a three day Asakusa festival held in mid May, attracting over a million visitors each year. Over 100 floats circle Senso-ji and there are numerous celebrations
- Asakusa hatsumode – visiting temples to ring in the New Year and in early January to pray for good luck and fortune. We visited Senso-ji on New Year’s Day (January 1) and there was a huge queues to get in (but well worth it)
- Daikon Radish festival at Matsuchiyama Shoden – 7 January every year.
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