Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
206
Boats
depart the garden to make their
way along the Sumida River every 30 to
60 minutes between 10:35am and
4:15pm, with the fare to Asakusa costing
¥720. Although much of what you see
along the working river today is only con-
crete embankments, I like the trip because
it affords a different perspective of
Tokyo—barges making their way down
the river, high-rise apartment buildings
with laundry fluttering from balconies,
warehouses, and superhighways. The boat
passes under approximately a dozen
bridges during the 40-minute trip, each
one completely different. During cherry-
blossom season, thousands of cherry trees
lining the bank make the ride particularly
memorable.
Upon your arrival in Asakusa, walk away from the
boat pier a couple of blocks inland, where you'll soon
see the colorful Kaminarimon Gate on your right.
Across the street on your left is the:
2
Asakusa Information Center
Located at 2-18-9 Kaminarimon (
&
03/
6280-6710
), the center is open daily from
9:30am to 8pm but is staffed by English-
speaking volunteers only from 10am to
5pm. Stop here to pick up a map of the
area, use the restroom, and ask for direc-
tions to restaurants and sights. On Sun-
days, volunteers give free 1-hour guided
tours of Asakusa at 11am and 2pm (arrive
10 min. earlier). Note the huge Seiko
clock on the center's facade—every hour
on the hour, from 10am to 7pm, mechan-
ical dolls reenact scenes from Asakusa's
most famous festivals.
Across the street is the:
3
Kaminarimon Gate
The gate is unmistakable, with its bright
red colors and 100-kilogram (220-lb.)
lantern hanging in the middle. The statues
inside the gate are of the god of wind to
the right and the god of thunder to the
left, ready to protect the deity enshrined in
the temple. The god of thunder is particu-
larly fearsome—he has an insatiable appe-
tite for navels.
To the left of the gate, on the corner, is:
4
Tokiwado Kaminari Okoshi
This open-fronted confectionery has been
selling rice-based sweets
(okashi)
for 250
years and is popular with visiting Japanese
buying gifts for the folks back home. It's
open daily 9am to 9pm.
Once past Kaminarimon Gate, you'll find yourself
immediately on a pedestrian lane called:
5
Nakamise Dori
This leads straight to the temple. Naka-
mise means “inside shops,” and historical
records show that vendors have sold wares
here since the late 17th century. Today
Nakamise Dori is lined on both sides with
tiny stall after tiny stall, many owned by
the same family for generations. If you're
expecting austere religious artifacts, how-
ever, you're in for a surprise: Sweets, shoes,
barking toy dogs, Japanese crackers (called
sembei
), bags, umbrellas, Japanese dolls,
T-shirts, fans, masks, and traditional Japa-
nese accessories are all sold. How about a
brightly colored straight hairpin—and a
black hairpiece to go with it? Or a tempo-
rary tattoo in the shape of a dragon? This
is a great place to shop for souvenirs, gifts,
and items you have no earthly need for—a
little bit of unabashed consumerism on
the way to spiritual purification.
8
TAKE A BREAK
If you're hungry for lunch, there
are a number of possibilities in
the neighborhood.
&
Chinya
(p. 138),
1-3-4 Asakusa, just west of Kaminarimon
Gate on Kaminarimon Dori, has been
serving sukiyaki and
shabu-shabu
since
1880. Northeast of Kaminarimon Gate is
)
Waentei-Kikko
(p. 140), 2-2-13
Asakusa, offering
obento
lunch boxes and
shamisen
performances. For Western
food, head to the other side of the Sum-
ida River, where on the 22nd floor of the
Asahi Beer Tower is
La Ranarita Azuma-
bashi
(p. 139), 1-23-1 Azumabashi, a
moderately priced Italian restaurant with
great views of Asakusa; and the utilitarian
Sky Room
(p. 168) with inexpensive beer,
wine, and other drinks.
