The spiritual heart of Asakusa, and of Tokyo, is the impressive Sensoji Buddhist Temple. Built sometime in the 7th century before Tokyo was even Edo, to house the golden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, which, according to legend, was fished up in nearby Simudagawa by two local fishermen brothers. Despite their efforts to return Kannon to the river where they found her, the statue kept finding its way back to them. A temple was later built to house the goddess. Sensoji is Tokyo’s only agreed tourist attraction and is visited daily by hundreds of tourists and worshipers from Japan and around the world.
Arriving from the Asakusa subway station, Sensoji is entered through Kiminarimon (“Thunder Gate”). A majestic structure that houses two patron deities: Fuijin, the god of wind, on the right, and Raijin, the god of thunder, on the left. These fierce gods oversee all who enter the temple and keep the grounds safe.
Once inside the gate, you will come to Nakamise-dori. This shopping street, located within the temple compound, has its own history. These stalls and their owners are a living part of a centuries-old tradition of selling merchandise to pilgrims who visit the temple.
In the late 17th century, residents of Sensoji who received and served temple visitors were rewarded with a special right to open shops to sell their wares along the entrance to the temple.
This continued until 1885, when the Tokyo metropolitan government, having seized control of the land belonging to Sensoji, ordered all Nakamise merchants to leave and in the same year built Western-style brick shops, leading to the beginning of the modern Nakamese.
Today you can find everything from tourist trinkets like folding fans, traditional Japanese clothing including kimonos and yukatas, to local snacks. Stretching for about 200 meters, Nakamise-dori is the perfect place to spend an hour and buy a souvenir or two before entering the main temple grounds.
The main ground vibrates with accents from around the world and the click of cameras. Travelers and locals mingle on the temple grounds, joining in their mission to pay their respects. With 100 yen you can buy an omikuji (fortune written on a small piece of paper). You place the money in an honor box and shake a small cylinder containing sticks with numbers written on them. Shake the cylinder until one of the sticks falls off and take your fortune out of a drawer with the corresponding number. If your fortune is bad, tie the paper to a nearby rope so that the wind can disperse the bad luck.
The central place in the forecourt of the temple is an incense burner. Here you will usually see a group of visitors fanning the smoke of burning incense over themselves. Frankincense is believed to have healing powers, so fanning the smoke over your ailment will help cure it. If you suffer from a headache, slightly fan the smoke over your head.
The main hall of the temple still houses the golden statue of Kannon, a diminutive 6 cm tall, and is visible to the public. Step forward to toss some coins into the offering box, which is located in front of the altar, step back, clasp your hands, make a grip, and then bow. This is the standard practice of taking advantage of a Buddhist temple.
To the left of the esplanade and forming part of the temple, is the 53-meter (5-story) pagoda. A 1973 reconstruction of the original pagoda built on the same grounds. This is the largest pagoda in Tokyo.
Destroyed by earthquakes and air raids in World War II, Sensoji Temple has been rebuilt time and time again. Testimony of the importance it has within the Buddhist community and the general public. A memento of centuries-old values and traditions that continue today within Tokyo’s chaotic lifestyle, Sensoji is a constant reminder that despite warring nations and new technologies, some things will always remain.