We had a day tour after our cruise and this was the first stop. Very interesting, open to everyone to visit. The emperor’s window of prayer and soul searching in long line of people was a learning experience. Before we exited the complex we stood in awe in front if the hanging 2,500 kg giant straw sandals against evil, made by 800 people, completed in one month.

This is a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. You can’t miss it as you enter from the street. You’ll see many offers for a rickshaw tour of the area surrounding the temple. This is a very popular destination in Tokyo for the tourist and is a solemn temple for the locals. You can experience both when you visit. Legend says that in 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the nearby Sumida River. Later, they put the statue back into the river, but it always returned to them. Sensoji was built for the goddess of Kannon and was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple. The statue has stayed in one place ever since. There is a very long shopping street where you can get all sorts of souvenirs or things to eat. Adjacent to the temple are fortune stalls. For a suggested donation of $100 JPY (about $1 USD) you can consult the oracle and receive answers to your questions.

We visited Senso-ji on New Year's Eve day early in the morning. This helped with the crowds as there weren't very many people there at all. I liked the shops on the walk up to the temple - when they are closed the gates have paintings on them that are very well done. We were able to get some great pictures of the temple, the sky tree, and the pagoda. The buildings are ornately decorated with gold and there are some small gardens on the grounds as well. I would recommend trying to go in the morning when the crown may be smaller.

This is a big temple and worthy of visit and photo taking. At the entrance to the temple is the Kaminarimon or "Thunder Gate" which features a massive paper lantern dramatically painted in vivid red-and-black tones to suggest thunderclouds and lightning. The approach to the temple is lined with interesting shops selling souvenir items, food and traditional Japanese products. So the visit actually begin here. Adjacent to the temple is a five-story pagoda, the Asakusa Shinto shrine. At the temple the active activity is the omikuji where you can try your fortune telling with a small payment of 100¥.

Just a must see thing to do in Tokyo. Asakusa's main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple. There are heaps of traditional shops lining an entry street to the Temple. The big lantern at the front is always shown in pictures of Japan. Recommend the area for a visit. Just go there. For those with a JR Pass, make your way to the Ueno Station and then swap train lines to pay to get to Asakusa (or even JR Yamanote Line to Kanda Station and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa).

This is an impressive temple in Tokyo so if you are looking for one to go to get a flavor for what the fuss is about, this is an excellent choice. Fyi, Temples are for Buddhism worship while shrines are for Shintoism worship. “Ji” means temple. The entrance is super large with extra large lanterns and god like statutes. After you enter, look out for a counter where you can take part in traditional fortune telling Japanese style. There you get the fortune written in paper by shaking a box. If you don’t like what it says you can leave it behind tying it to nearby poles. The temples grounds is a collection of ornately designed buildings including a 5 storey pagoda. The main temple is impressive with large statutes, incense burning, customary golds and reds in the design and squares of intricate art work and paintings on ceiling. There you can burn some incense and you can imagine there is a lot of that happening. People will be trying to cover themselves in this holy smoke. Lots of crowds and tourists but important to keep the solemnity of the visit as it’s a temple - though Japanese crowds are very respectful so there is no jostling. The environs of the building has some interesting nuggets like an Shinto shrine with the iconic torri gate and a street market with delicious street food. You can try a little of everything. This temple was impressive due to its large size and statues. There are many to choose from in Tokyo but after research this was on of the top options. This tour here and environs was organized by Novaland Tours who did a great job in putting it all together and providing a helpful guide. Other things you can fit into on the day you visit Sensoji Temple are Tokyo SkyTower, Akihabara area, Club Sega VR (Game Center with virtual reality options) and maybe try a Maid Cafe for a laugh..emphasis on maybe... ;-)

Visited on 2nd January at about 1pm - the corridors leading to the temple was just a sea of people. I bailed out as it was going to take too long to get to the temple. I returned the following day at 8am - significantly smaller crowds and easy to move around the site with ease. The temple is a sprawling expanse of smaller temples - plenty to see and take in. Best temple in Tokyo for mine.

This is a must visit and the busier the day the better the atmosphere. Located in the heart of the city, it is a large temple that is surrounded by other smaller temples including the five storey pagoda. There are gardens, waterways and on weekends many, many stalls of food. Plus there are places for offerings, blessings and good fortune. To be in the sway and melee of people all moving from one end of the temple to the other is quite a unique experience and one that’ll stay with me for a long time. Plenty of toilets nearby. Wheelchair accessible. Kid friendly. Lots of food and refreshments.

I find myself drawn here each and every time I am in Tokyo. On my first few visits I went during the day time which was always packed so nowadays I go in the evening. It's a lot quieter (but still busy) and it's all so well lit up I think it looks even more beautiful. I tend to avoid any of the lucky charms and head straight to pay my respects and then wander around. This time I went around the back of the main hall and found ponds, koi, buddhas and peace. Lovely! I like to have a mooch around the shops the line the street that leads to the main hall. Always interesting and full of life. Head to Asakusa station on the Asakusa or Ginza line. The station is not set up for those with mobility issues or in wheelchairs though...they are working on it.

We went twice, one at daytime when the way leading to the main temple was flooded eith tourists, and then we came back early evening. There were fewer people and the temple was lit up. We also opted to visit the stores at the back of the main souvenir shops. If you want a more special souvenir, try visiting them. They would gladly make a special packaging if you mention that you intend to give it as a gift. The person will truly feel special.