Tokyo's oldest temple district survived earthquakes, firebombing, and the wrecking ball. Senso-ji has drawn pilgrims since 645 AD, and the streets around it still sell the same lucky charms, rice crackers, and hand-forged kitchen knives they did a century ago.

Stops on This Tour (7)

1. 1
   Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) The iconic red lantern weighs 700 kilograms and has been rebuilt multiple times since its first incarnation in 942 AD -- the current one was donated by Panasonic's founder in 1960
2. 2
   Nakamise-dori Shopping Street A 250-meter lane of shops selling senbei rice crackers, lucky cat figurines, and handmade chopsticks -- some families have run their stalls here for over a hundred years
3. 3
   Senso-ji Main Hall Tokyo's oldest temple, founded in 645 AD after two fishermen pulled a golden Kannon statue from the Sumida River -- the statue is still here, but nobody has seen it in centuries
4. 4
   Five-Story Pagoda The second-tallest pagoda in Japan at 53 meters, rebuilt in 1973 with modern earthquake-resistant engineering hiding inside its traditional exterior
5. 5
   Asakusa Shrine Built to honor the two fishermen who found the Kannon statue -- the Sanja Matsuri festival held here each May draws two million visitors in three days
6. 6
   Sumida River Promenade The river that defined Edo-era Tokyo, now lined with cherry trees and views of the Tokyo Skytree -- the golden flame atop the Asahi Beer Hall across the water was designed by Philippe Starck
7. 7
   Hoppy Street (Hoppy-dori) An alley of open-air izakayas serving Hoppy, a beer-like drink invented in 1948 when real beer was too expensive for ordinary Tokyoites -- still the cheapest drink in the neighborhood

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