HELLO! TOKYO TOURS TOP PICK | SENSOJI TEMPLE

Being the oldest temple in Tokyo, Zojoji dates back to 628, when two fisherman were fishing nearby in the Sumida River and were surprised to see that they had caught a statue. They brought the statue to their village headman and he was surprised to see that it was a statue of Kannon - the buddhist deity associated with compassion. The village headman converted his home to a place of worship. The area grew in popularity with many visitors and worshipers and even became an important place where shoguns (the military dictator) had their offerings.

Today, it’s a very popular and important temple that is surrounded by many cultural and traditional stores which include the famous Nakamise shopping street - a large line of shopping vendors that lead up to the temple.

Entrance fee: Free

Photo credit: Go Tokyo

Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032

Hours: The shopping street hours are from 10am - 5pm

Website: http://www.senso-ji.jp/english/

How to get there: A 5 minute walk from the Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line, Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line and Tsukuba Express.