History Walk in Asakusa with Street Food and Sweets

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3 hours 30 minutes (approximately)
Offered in: English

Discover Asakusa through two things that have shaped the neighborhood for centuries: its history and street food.

This is not a history tour followed by a food tour. As you walk, your guide connects the places you see with the snacks and sweets you taste, revealing how religion, commerce, entertainment, and everyday life came together to create Asakusa.

Learn how Senso-ji Temple grew into a major center of popular worship and how the crowds of pilgrims transformed the surrounding streets into a thriving commercial and entertainment district.

And where people gather, food follows.
Along the way, sample traditional sweets, savory snacks, and local favorites while discovering why these foods flourished here and what they reveal about historic Asakusa.

Up to ¥3,000 per traveler is included for tastings, which may vary depending on what is fresh and interesting that day.
Come hungry—not only for food, but for the stories behind it.

What's Included

Snacks
Hotel pick-up and drop-off

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
2-chōme-20-6 Kaminarimon

The tour starts at 9:30 AM. Please arrive at the meeting place by 9:20 AM. 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.

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes (approximately)
  • 1
    Sumida 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
  • 2
    Asakusa 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 free
  • 3
    Kaminarimon Gate

    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
  • 4
    Nakamise 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
    Hozomon

    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
  • 6
    Senso-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
  • 7
    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 find how these two religions are ingrained in life of the ordinary Japanese.

    15 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 8
    Senso-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
  • 9
    Asakusa 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
    Hoppy 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
  • 11

    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
  • 12
    Denboin 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

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Supplied by Arumachi
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Tags

Half-day Tours
Private and Luxury
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Walking Tours
Small Group
Food & Drink

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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