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Offered languages
- English
What if one half-day walk in Asakusa could reveal the bigger story of Japan? This tour goes far beyond sightseeing, using real landmarks to explain not just what you see, but as a gateway to understand Japan’s history, beliefs, and society. With your expert guide, you’ll:
1) Explore Japan’s 300-year isolation and reopening to the world.
2) Understand why Japan chose the Netherlands as its only trading partner when it closed itself.
3) Learn how the 19th-century Japanese art had an impact on the West, especially French impressionists.
4) Discover how Shinto and Buddhism have coexisted for over a millennium, with shared worshippers and a shared influence on everyday life.
5) Compare Japanese and Western symbolism, including dragons.
6) Discover the shared mindsets in Japan and the West a millennium ago.
7) Experience the contrast between the sacred temple and former entertainment districts
8) Explore nostalgic postwar lanes, and streets that evoke Edo-period Japan.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
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
Itinerary
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1Sumida River
Begin along the Sumida River, where the story of Japan’s isolation and opening to the world comes alive. Learn why the Edo shogunate sealed the country for over 200 years, why the Netherlands alone was permitted to trade, and how Admiral Perry’s arrival forced Japan to reopen. The guide connects this past to modern Tokyo—right down to Odaiba’s former gun batteries and today’s Statue of Liberty replica facing the Pacific.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
Get a clear introduction to Japan’s two major religions, Buddhism and Shinto, setting the foundation for everything you’ll see ahead.
15 minutes • Admission ticket included -
3
At Asakusa’s iconic gate, explore the fascinating contrast between Japanese and Western dragons—and learn why the Japanese dragon plays exactly an opposite role from the Western one.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon)
Stroll through one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets while learning about Buddhist symbols like the vajra (tokko) and the world-changing impact of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Discover how these prints unexpectedly reached Europe—and inspired Western Impressionist painters.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
Here, your guide reveals a surprising truth: people in Japan and the West shared remarkably similar ways of thinking 1,000 years ago.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple offers another striking comparison between medieval Japan and Europe, along with a clear explanation of how prayer differs in Buddhism and Shinto.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Asakusa 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 find how these two religions are ingrained in life of the ordinary Japanese.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8Senso-ji Temple Yogodo
While the Yōgōdō Hall houses the “Twelve Zodiac Guardian Deities,” it’s the only place at Sensō-ji where you can receive a goshuin. A goshuin is a sacred temple seal, hand-written in beautiful calligraphy by a monk or temple staff member.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9Asakusa Nishisando
Compared with the busy souvenir stalls of Nakamise Street, this small shopping street offers a quieter, nostalgic atmosphere. Enjoy the respite away from the bustling Nakamise.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10
While Sensō-ji represents spiritual Asakusa, this area represents its entertainment culture. Before Shinjuku or Shibuya became famous, this was the place to come for modern entertainment.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
11Hoppy Street
While Sensō-ji represents spiritual Asakusa, Hoppy Street shows us its working-class soul. This narrow lane is famous for old-style Japanese pubs where people sit at small outdoor tables, eat grilled skewers, and drink from early afternoon, embodying a symbol of postwar recovery and working-class resilience.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
12
While Sensō-ji represents sacred Asakusa, this area is known for laughter and entertainment. Feel the atmosphere of the city’s most exciting place in the early 20th century, a hub of modern culture: cinemas, comedians, variety shows, and popular theater.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
13Denboin Street
Feel like stepping into an old movie set of Edo-period Japan. The wooden-style facades and traditional decorations are designed to recreate the atmosphere of commoners' quarters in the Edo-period.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We accept last-minute bookings until two hours prior to the tour start time.
- The maximum group size is 8 people, to ensure proper hospitality
- A moderate amount of walking is involved; please choose appropriate footwear
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We accept last-minute bookings until two hours prior to the tour start time.
- The maximum group size is 8 people, to ensure proper hospitality
- A moderate amount of walking is involved; please choose appropriate footwear
- Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately
- Bottled water is recommended but vending machines are available
- If you have special dietary or accessibility requirements, please contact us and we will do our very best to accommodate you
- Children younger than 6 may join the tour without charge but will not be entitled to inclusions
- Due to the historical focus of the tour, it is recommended for adults, but families are welcome
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- 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.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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