Sensō-Ji (Senso Temple)

Lonely Planet review

Asakusa's raison d'-être, Sensō-ji enshrines a golden statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, which was miraculously fished out of the nearby Sumida-gawa (Sumida River) by two fishermen in AD 628. In time, a structure was built to house the image, which has remained on the spot through successive reconstructions of the temple, including a complete postwar reconstruction following the aerial bombings at the end of WWII.

The temple precincts begin at the majestic Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), which houses a pair of ferocious protective deities: Fūjin, the god of wind, on the right; and Raijin, the god of thunder, on the left.

Straight on through the gate is the lively shopping street Nakamise-dōri, which was recently renovated to include an attractive covered awning that keeps out the elements. Everything is sold here from tourist trinkets like purses made from obi (kimono sash) fabric to Edo-style crafts and wigs to be worn with a kimono. Along this route are also stands that specialise in salty, crunchy sembei , and ningyō-yaki (snacks in the shape of pagodas, fish and more), made of pancake batter with a dollop of anko (bean paste) baked inside.

Nakamise-dōri leads north to another gate, Hōzō-mon, whose fierce guardians you must pass to reach the main temple compound. To your left stands a 53m-high five-storey pagoda, a 1973 reconstruction of a pagoda built by Tokugawa Iemitsu. The current structure is the second-highest pagoda in Japan.

The temple grounds buzz and click with cameras and voices with accents from across the country and around the world. The Kannon image (a tiny 6cm) is cloistered within, but despite its seclusion, a steady stream of worshippers makes its way up the stairs to the temple, where they cast coins, pray and bow in a gesture of respect. In front of the temple, smoke winds its way up from a huge incense cauldron around which supplicants stand wafting the smoke and its scent to their bodies and over their heads to ensure good health.