Kaminari-mon

Asakusa & Sumida River


The Sensō-ji temple precinct begins at this majestic gate, from which hangs an enormous chōchin (lantern); look under this to see a beautiful carved dragon. On either side are a pair of ferocious protective deities: Fūjin, the god of wind, on the right; and Raijin, the god of thunder, on the left. Kaminari-mon has burnt down countless times over the centuries; the current gate dates to 1970.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Asakusa & Sumida River attractions

1. Azuma-bashi

0.15 MILES

Originally built in 1774, this bridge was once the point of departure for boat trips to the Yoshiwara pleasure district, north of Asakusa.

2. Hōzō-mon

0.19 MILES

At the end of Sensō-ji's Nakamise-dōri, this gate is flanked by two fierce guardian deities. On the gate’s back side are a pair of 2500kg, 4.5m-tall…

3. Five-Storey Pagoda

0.21 MILES

On the grounds of Sensō-ji, this 53m-high, five-storey pagoda is a 1973 reconstruction of a pagoda built by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1648. The current…

4. Asahi Super Dry Hall

0.23 MILES

This jet-black, inverted obelisk, part of Asahi Beer's headquarters, was designed by Philippe Starck and completed in 1989; atop it sits a 'golden flame'…

5. Niten-mon

0.24 MILES

Senso-ji's eastern gate is one of the temple complex's rare, Edo-era buildings: it's been standing since 1618. Though it appears minor today, this gate…

6. Amuse Museum

0.24 MILES

The highlight of this museum is a fascinating collection of Japanese folk articles, mainly patched clothing and pieces of fabric, known as boro, gathered…

7. Sensō-ji

0.25 MILES

Tokyo’s most visited temple enshrines a golden image of Kannon (the Buddhist goddess of mercy), which, according to legend, was miraculously pulled out of…

8. Taiko Drum Museum

0.26 MILES

There are hundreds of drums from around the world here, including several traditional Japanese taiko. The best part is that you can actually play most of…