Asakusa: 2-hour history exploration

Inclusions / Exclusions

Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Headsets to hear the guide clearly even from a distance; applicable for a group of 3 or more.
1400-year history tour in and around the Sensoji temple
Live guiding in English by a local certified expert guide

Hotel pickup

Overview

This tour allows you to experience an in-depth history tour in the most expedient but insightful manner. Enjoy the tour chock-full of interesting stories around development of Asakusa and Tokyo. Specifically, we will demystify intriguing historical facts including: 1) Why Sumida river is an origin of Senso-ji temple 2) How Senso-ji temple and Asakusa developed hand in hand 3) How Asakusa has become a forerunner of Japan's modernization 4) How the culture that flourished in the area impacted the world Other important features of the tour are: 1) Use of headsets to hear the guide clearly even from a distance; applicable to a group of 3 or more. 2) Tasting Japanese sweet snacks just made in the back the shops. 3) Each group is limited to 10 participants.

Meeting points

Burger King Asakusa Azumabashi
Cross Bil Royal Palace, 2-chōme-20-6 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan

Open in Google Maps

The meeting place is in front of a Burger King restaurant right next to Exit 4 of Asakusa subway station (G19) on the Ginza line. Please step outside when you reach Exit 4. See below for details. https://bit.ly/3KBlIr5

End point

Saryō Ichimatsu
1-chōme-15-1 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan

Open in Google Maps

This tour will be over at the restaurant where the geisha activity is held.

Itinerary

Sumida River

Just as Asakusa’s history started by the Sumida river, so do our tours. Across the Azumabashi bridge, we will see Tokyo Sky Tree, Asahi Breweries' headquarters with its world-famous golden flame object.

15 minutes
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center

From Sumida river, we will stroll to Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. This is not not just a valuable source of sightseeing information, but one of Asakusa’s newest sightseeing attractions. This 8-story building, designed by a world famous Japanese architect, has a very striking structure with the appearance of a stack of separate wooden buildings that seem piled up on top of each other at different angles. From the open terrace Observation Deck on the 8th floor of the Center, we will have a preview of the entire tour course: not just Tokyo Sky Tree and Asahi Flame we have just seen but the landmarks we are going to see including Kaminarimon gate, Nakamise shopping street, Hozomon gate, Sensoji Temple, and more.

15 minutes
Kaminarimon

Kaminarimon gate ("Thunder Gate") is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple. The gate, with its huge red lantern and statues, is popular among tourists. The guide will demystify this giant lantern and its surrounding objects.

15 minutes
Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon)

This shopping street connects Kaminarimon gate and Sensoji-temple's main gate. The 250 m approach is lined with a number of souvenir shops and food stalls. The guide will show you where to buy souvenirs you are interested in. The other fun part of strolling along it is that the guide will buy you traditional snacks in Asakusa; note that the guide may buy snacks in other places in the tour based on your preferences. Toward the end of this long street, we will see a history tablets on its side which depict how Asakusa started and developed around Sensoji-temple.

30 minutes
Hozomon

The Hōzōmon (Treasure-House Gate) is the inner of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple (the outer being the Kaminarimon), Tokyo. A two-story gate, the Hōzōmon's second story houses many of the Sensō-ji's treasures. We will see two statues, three lanterns and two large sandals housed in the first story.

15 minutes
Senso-ji Temple

Between Hozomon gate and Sensoji's main hall, we have a lot to see and do. On the left, we will see Five-storied Pagoda the second highest (53m-high) pagoda in Japan. It holds Buddha's ashes on its top floor given by Sri Lankan goverment. We will have three major things to observe or do before entering the temple's main hall. First: - You may draw omikuji, or paper fortune, to predict your future. Second: - Most Japanese stop at the huge bronze incense burner to bathe their hands and faces in the smoke. This is a ritual to ward off illnesses before climbing the stairs to offer their prayers. Third: - Water purification fountain which people use to purify themselves before going inside the temple. You will also see a famous sculpture perching on the fountain. We will now proceed to the main hall of the temple which is the climax of the tour. Look forward to what you will see and the guide will recount there!

15 minutes
Asakusa Shrine

To those familiar with religions,it is unfathomable that Busshist temple and shinto shrine coexist on the same premises and share both their origins and worshipers. In that sense, Asakusa shrine is not just another shinto shrine in Japan. The guide will tell you why and you will found how these two religions are ingrained in life of the ordinary Japanese.

15 minutes

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Free Cancellation

February 05100% refund

February 06No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Reviews

4.9

25 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

5 stars

23
4 stars

1
3 stars

1
2 stars

0
1 star

0

We perform checks on reviews

We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 23 reviews with 5 stars

Wonderful Asakusa Tour With Yuki

Published on Nov, 2024

Yuki was so great, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour! We also went around for longer than planned, but it was so amazing to properly experience Asakusa without any rush! Thank you again, Yuki San!

Great Day in Asakusa!

Published on Oct, 2024

Our guide Choco was a terrific guide who knew the area and history very well and explained everything clearly in English, a language she enjoys learning about and using. Communication was excellent. Choco made our day in Asakusa perfect! Thank you Choco!

Tour guide Keiko is the best!

Published on Jul, 2024

My wife and I both this trip for our first day in Tokyo and we absolutely loved it. Our guide, Keiko, was a sweet and lovely woman who did a wonderful job describing the Asakusa area from past to present as well adding her own personal experiences to the tour. 10/10 would recommend!

Great tour - informative and very professional.

Published on May, 2024

A great way to start our 1st day in Tokyo. Our tour guide, Machiko, was very knowledgeable and friendly. The tour is only 2 hours but we learned a lot of Asukusa and Edo history! Highly recommend!

Very interesting tour with a nice and friendly guide !

Published on May, 2024

Very interesting tour with Keiko ! She was friendly and answered our questions, she told us about the history of the places we visited. We were very happy to do this tour !