Asakusa, Taito, Japan

Asakusa is a district in Taito, Tokyo, Japan. It is the center of Tokyo's shitamachi, which literally means "low city," referring to the low elevation of this old part of Tokyo, on the banks of the Sumida River. As the name suggests, the area has a more traditional Japanese atmosphere than some other neighborhoods in Tokyo.


Asakusa is famous for the Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals, such as the Sanja Matsuri.

Kaminarimon is the first of two large entrance gates leading to Sensoji Temple. First built more than 1000 years ago, it is the symbol of Asakusa. The Nakamise shopping street leads from Kaminarimon to the temple grounds.

There is also the Asakusa Shrine, also known as Sanja-sama, was built during the Edo Period and survived the air raids of 1945. The shrine's festival, the Sanja Matsuri, is one of Tokyo's most spectacular and popular. It is held every year on a weekend (Friday to Sunday) in mid May.


For many centuries, Asakusa used to be Tokyo's leading entertainment district. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), when the district was still located outside the city limits, Asakusa was the site of kabuki theaters and a large red light district. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, modern types of entertainment, including movie theaters, set foot in Asakusa.

Asakusa can easily be explored on foot. Alternatively, you can consider a guided tour on a rickshaw (jinrikisha, literally "man powered vehicle"). A 30 minute tour for two persons costs around 9000 yen. Shorter and longer courses are also available.
Location: 2-chōme-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tōkyō-to 111-0032, Japan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wellawatte, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Image
Wellawatte is located at the south of Bambalapitiya, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is a busy and densely populated town with many textile and jewellery shops. There are also many restaurants and apartment buildings in the area. Many of the locals are tamils, and the Wellawatte Beach is a very popular attraction here. A trip by train along the Wellawatte Beach is an exciting experience as it offers beautiful sceneries of the Indian Ocean. Wellawatte railway station is located on the Coast line between Bambalapitiya and Dehiwala railway stations. Distance between Colombo Fort and Wellawatte railway station is about 7km. Wellawatte means ‘sandy garden’ in Sinhala, the Sri Lanka's main language. The Wellawatte canal, which is spanned by a road bridge before spilling to the sea, then, as now, was an important feature of the area.
Read more

Fontane di Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City

Image
Fontane di Piazza San Pietro are two fountains in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, created by Carlo Maderno (1612–1614) and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1667–1677) to ornament the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The older fountain, by Maderno, is on the north side of the square. The Maderno fountain on the north side of the square is located on the site of an earlier fountain, built in 1490 during the time of Pope Innocent VIII. It was reputed to be the finest fountain in Rome For half a century, the square was decorated with the Maderno fountain and with the obelisk raised by Pope Sixtus V, but the southern part of the square remained empty. In 1667, Pope Clement X commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to build a second fountain, which closely followed the design of the Maderno fountain. The Bernini fountain was completed in 1677. Follow The Match for Sports Updates ! Like all fountains of the time, the fountain on St. Peter's Square had no pumps an
Read more

Old Market Square, Nottingham, England

Image
The Old Market Square (Slab Square) is an open city square in Nottingham, England. It is is the largest public space in the United Kingdom after London’s Trafalgar Square, covering an area of approximately 22,000 square metres. The square is a major hub for the city’s social scene and transport links. It is often used for large local events, fairs, concerts and exhibitions. Located in the heart of Nottingham City Centre, the square is bounded by Beastmarket Hill to the West, Smithy Row to the North, and South Parade to the South. The Eastern end of the square is dominated by the Council House, which serves as Nottingham's town hall. The square was the original setting of Nottingham Goose Fair, an annual fair held in October originating over 700 years ago. The Goose Fair was moved in 1928 for redevelopment of the square. Previously, the Square has been affectionately nicknamed 'Slab Square',owing to the high numbers of concrete paving slabs that made the former
Read more