It was our first time ever to Asakusa, and I have no idea why we never visited when we here before. A lot of travel books about Tokyo have this place as a must see of any short itinerary, and its easy to understand why.
When I first told my colleague of our plan to visit Asakusa he raised an eye brow and told us to expect it to be crowded. I thought to myself, it is the middle of summer and it is stinking hot, and it isn't a holiday period, so how crowded can it get really?? Well, it turned out to be PACKED and I have no idea where these people are coming from!
Asakusa is Tokyo's reminder of what it used to be like when it was called Edo. It used to be a place where the travellers would stop over to catch Kabuki plays or relax at an izakaya. It still retains a lot of its olden day charm with terraces of old shops and lots of locals walking around in their yuukata (traditional robe). It is also home to the oldest temple in Tokyo, Senso-ji (goddess of mercy).
Unfortunately Senso-ji was undergoing a major reconstruction which is due to finish at the end of November, with the surrounding scaffold, it kinda took a bit away from what is an impressive temple. However that didn't stop the horde of locals and tour groups from lighting the incense, saying a prayer at the main temple, and taking snaps next to the big red latern at the gate. I know a lot of people who visit Japan, especially around Kyoto say that 'when you've seen one temple you've seen them all', but what makes this temple special is its sheer popularity. After you pay your respects inside and go about your formal ways, when you step outside you're back again in the chaos of what is Tokyo.
We spent most of our timing wandering the laneways surrounding Senso-ji. What we saw over and over again were Osenbei (rice cracker) shops. I thought, right, sa-ka-ta crackers, what is so special? But this is like going to Italy to have pizza. Sure it is different, but this is the real stuff! Many of the shops make the stuff right in front of your eyes and package individual rice crackers from tiny to the size of your head. Even though they are made primarily from just rice, a big cracker costs anywhere in the vicinity of $12 which seems quite insane.
There are many great looking traditional restaurants with the paper sliding doors and tatami mats, and we've noticed that it is these type of places that are the most expensive. We wanted to give it a try, but we hadn't gotten paid from work yet and weren't keen on burning all the money we had on a meal. Instead we tried a busy kaiten-sushi bar (conveyer belt sushi). Back home we call this a sushi train, because the sushi is actually moved around by a toy train? I don't know because I've never been to one in Australia since they're never busy, and the last thing you want is to eat raw fish that has travelled the equivalent of Melbourne to Sydney on a plastic train.
To top off a great day, we treated ourselves to a back massage at a traditional styled inn. And no matter what language they speak, anyone who massages my back pretty much finds a way to tell me that my back is cactus.
See you later!
Gerald and Richard
When I first told my colleague of our plan to visit Asakusa he raised an eye brow and told us to expect it to be crowded. I thought to myself, it is the middle of summer and it is stinking hot, and it isn't a holiday period, so how crowded can it get really?? Well, it turned out to be PACKED and I have no idea where these people are coming from!
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| Front gate - Senso-ji |
Asakusa is Tokyo's reminder of what it used to be like when it was called Edo. It used to be a place where the travellers would stop over to catch Kabuki plays or relax at an izakaya. It still retains a lot of its olden day charm with terraces of old shops and lots of locals walking around in their yuukata (traditional robe). It is also home to the oldest temple in Tokyo, Senso-ji (goddess of mercy).
 |
| Lantern at the entrance of Senso-ji |
We spent most of our timing wandering the laneways surrounding Senso-ji. What we saw over and over again were Osenbei (rice cracker) shops. I thought, right, sa-ka-ta crackers, what is so special? But this is like going to Italy to have pizza. Sure it is different, but this is the real stuff! Many of the shops make the stuff right in front of your eyes and package individual rice crackers from tiny to the size of your head. Even though they are made primarily from just rice, a big cracker costs anywhere in the vicinity of $12 which seems quite insane.
There are many great looking traditional restaurants with the paper sliding doors and tatami mats, and we've noticed that it is these type of places that are the most expensive. We wanted to give it a try, but we hadn't gotten paid from work yet and weren't keen on burning all the money we had on a meal. Instead we tried a busy kaiten-sushi bar (conveyer belt sushi). Back home we call this a sushi train, because the sushi is actually moved around by a toy train? I don't know because I've never been to one in Australia since they're never busy, and the last thing you want is to eat raw fish that has travelled the equivalent of Melbourne to Sydney on a plastic train.
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| Taking a happy snap outside the temple |
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| Me and one of the locals |
To top off a great day, we treated ourselves to a back massage at a traditional styled inn. And no matter what language they speak, anyone who massages my back pretty much finds a way to tell me that my back is cactus.
See you later!
Gerald and Richard
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