Asakusa History Tour: Senso-ji Temple, Shrine & Kappabashi Street

Walk nearly 2,000 years of history, then shop where Tokyo's chefs buy their knives

A 2-hour guided tour of Asakusa starting at Kaminarimon and moving through Nakamise Shopping Street to Senso-ji Temple, where you'll learn and practice traditional temple customs including purification rituals and fortune-slip drawing. The route continues to Asakusa Shrine to compare Buddhist and Shinto traditions, passes through Hoppy Street's postwar izakaya alley, and ends at Kappabashi Dogugai, a wholesale kitchen-supply district over 100 years old where you can browse professional cookware, tableware, lacquerware and plastic food replicas. A live guide leads the walk in English, Spanish, French, Korean and three additional languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Senso-ji Temple20m
2. Kitchen Town50m

Explore Asakusa and Kappa Street

• Start at Kaminarimon gate
• Walk through Nakamise Shopping Street
• Visit Senso-ji Temple and try customs
• Explore Asakusa Shrine and learn differences
• Stroll down Hoppy Street and see local pubs
• Shop at Kappabashi Dogugai (Kappa Street)

The Experience

Kaminarimon gate opens the walk (its massive red lantern is a photo landmark), and you pass through into Nakamise Shopping Street, a historic arcade of around 90 shops selling traditional sweets, crafts and kimono accessories in an Edo-period setting. The street leads directly to Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple founded in 628, where the guide walks you through actual temple customs: the purification ritual at the entrance, how to offer incense and prayers, and how to draw an omikuji fortune slip if you want one. The five-story pagoda and main hall frame the experience, though the lively atmosphere means you're never alone.

From Senso-ji, Asakusa Shrine sits steps away: a Shinto shrine with a red torii gate where the guide explains the practical differences between Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, and the etiquette each one expects. Hoppy Street follows, a narrow alley lined with red lanterns and small izakayas that kept its postwar character. You'll see grilled pork skewers and stewed offal on offer, and the drink Hoppy itself, which gives the street its name. This is where locals still gather, not a tourist reconstruction.

Kappabashi Dogugai, the final stop, is a one-of-a-kind shopping street where professional chefs and home cooks both browse. Over 100 shops stock kitchen knives, tableware, lacquerware, and the plastic food replicas Japan is known for: the kind restaurants use in window displays. Kappa statues dot the street. The mischievous creatures from Japanese folklore gave the area its name. You can return after the tour to shop at your own pace, or pick up a souvenir on the walk itself.

What’s included

• Tour guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French, Korean or three additional languages.
• historical insights of the district woven through each stop.

Days and timesDaily · 10:00 and 13:00

AgesAges 12+ · 4 to 11 years · Under 4 — Free

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “The guide will be waiting in front of Starbucks Kaminarimon, located to the left of Kaminarimon Gate.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Reelu inc

Is this one for you?This is a guided walking tour with a live guide leading the group through each stop, so you move at a set pace and learn the history and customs from someone who knows the sites. It suits anyone who wants to understand Asakusa's layers (the temple traditions, the shrine differences, the postwar alley culture) rather than wandering on your own, and it works for all fitness levels since the walk is steady but not strenuous.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Cantonese.

Can children come?

4 to 11 years; under 4, free.

What is Senso-ji Temple and why is it important to Asakusa?

Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple, founded in 628, and it remains the spiritual heart of Asakusa. Its majestic main hall and five-story pagoda are iconic landmarks, and the temple draws both worshippers and visitors year-round. During the tour, you'll learn and practice the customs visitors use there: purification, prayer offerings, and drawing fortune slips.

Can I actually shop on this tour, or is it just walking and looking?

Nakamise Shopping Street has around 90 shops you can browse during the walk if something catches your eye, and you're welcome to return after the tour to explore at your own pace. Kappabashi Dogugai, the final stop, is a working wholesale district where you can buy: professional kitchen knives, tableware, lacquerware, plastic food replicas and traditional Japanese snacks are all for sale there.

What's the difference between Senso-ji Temple and Asakusa Shrine?

Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple and Asakusa Shrine is a Shinto shrine, and they sit next to each other in Asakusa. The guide explains the differences between the two traditions and the proper etiquette for visiting each one. Asakusa Shrine has a distinctive red torii gate and a more serene atmosphere than the busier temple nearby.

What is Hoppy Street and what will I see there?

Hoppy Street is a narrow alley lined with red lanterns and small izakayas that has kept its postwar character since the 1950s. You'll see local comfort foods like grilled pork skewers and stewed dishes, and the drink Hoppy itself, which gives the street its name. It's a working neighborhood spot, not a tourist area, so the atmosphere is authentic.

What kind of souvenirs can I find at Kappabashi?

Kappabashi is a wholesale kitchen-supply district with over 100 shops selling professional-grade cookware, traditional Japanese tableware, lacquerware, kitchen knives, and the plastic food replicas restaurants use in window displays. You'll also find dagashi: nostalgic Japanese snacks that are part of Japan's food culture. It's a one-of-a-kind shopping experience for food lovers and home cooks.