Senso-ji Temple: A Local Guide to Tokyo's Oldest Temple

What Is Senso-ji Temple?

Senso-ji is the oldest temple in Tokyo and one of the most visited places in Japan. It is a Buddhist temple dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, and it stands at the centre of Asakusa, the old merchant quarter on the Sumida River.

The temple dates its story to 18 March 628, when, according to its records, two fishermen brothers drew a small statue of Kannon from the river in their net. In 645 a priest named Shokai built a hall for it.

The statue is a hidden image and is never shown to the public.

Almost everything you see today was rebuilt after the air raids of March 1945. The Main Hall was rebuilt in 1958 with donations from followers across Japan, Hozomon Gate in 1964, and the five-storey pagoda in 1973.

Senso-ji is still a working temple, so people come here to pray every day as well as to sightsee.

Senso-ji Opening Hours, Admission and Best Time to Visit

Senso-ji is free and its grounds never close. The Main Hall is open from 6:00 to 17:00, and from 6:30 between October and March. There are no closing days.

What	Hours	Cost
Temple grounds	Always open	Free
Main Hall	6:00 to 17:00 (6:30 from October to March)	Free
Nakamise shops	Daytime, most close in the early evening	Free to walk

Best time. Before 9:30 in the morning the gates and Nakamise are calm, and you can take a photo of Kaminarimon without a crowd. Late morning to mid-afternoon is the busiest stretch, especially at weekends.

After dark the buildings are lit up and the shops are shuttered, which makes for a quiet walk, but the Main Hall is closed by then.

How long? Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the gates, Nakamise, the Main Hall and the pagoda. Add an hour if you want to eat your way down Nakamise or visit Asakusa Shrine as well.

How to Get to Senso-ji

Senso-ji is about 5 minutes on foot from Asakusa Station. Three lines stop at stations called Asakusa, all within a short walk of Kaminarimon Gate.

• Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. This is the easiest line from Ueno (about 5 minutes), Ginza and Shibuya.
• Toei Asakusa Line. Use Exit A4. It connects directly with Haneda and Narita airports on some trains.
• Tobu Skytree Line. Trains come in from Tokyo Skytree and Nikko.

From Tokyo Station, take the JR line one stop to Kanda and change to the Ginza Line, about 20 minutes in total. The Tsukuba Express also has an Asakusa station, but it is further west, near Kappabashi.

With a stroller, check before the day which exit at your Asakusa station has a lift. In my experience JR stations are rarely a problem, but some Tokyo Metro and Toei exits only have stairs.

Kaminarimon Gate and Nakamise Shopping Street

Kaminarimon, the Thunder Gate, is the outer entrance to Senso-ji and the photo everyone takes. A giant red lantern hangs in the middle, and statues of Fujin, the god of wind, and Raijin, the god of thunder, stand on either side to guard the temple.

For more on its history, see our Kaminarimon Gate guide.

Beyond the gate, Nakamise-dori runs about 250 metres to Hozomon Gate. It is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, lined with small shops, many run by the same families for generations. Look for these.

• Ningyo-yaki, small sponge cakes filled with sweet bean paste, baked in front of you
• Kibi dango and age-manju (deep-fried buns), good warm snacks for children
• Senbei rice crackers
• Folding fans, chopsticks and small souvenirs

Eating while walking is frowned on along Nakamise, so eat next to the shop where you bought the snack. Shops open later than the temple, so if you come at 7:00 for photos, the street will still be shuttered.

Hozomon Gate, the Inner Gate and Its Giant Straw Sandals

Hozomon is the second, inner gate of Senso-ji, standing between Nakamise and the Main Hall. Where Kaminarimon welcomes you in, Hozomon guards the sacred area, and its upper floor is a storehouse for the temple's treasures, which is where the name, "Treasure House Gate", comes from.

History

The first gate here was built in 942 by the military commander Taira no Kinmasa. It was rebuilt in 1649 with a donation from the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, and burned in the air raids of 1945.

The present gate was completed on 1 April 1964, paid for by the businessman Yonetaro Otani and his wife. It is built of steel and reinforced concrete with a tiled roof, which protects it from fire, and it stands 21.7 metres high.

The Nio guardians

Two Nio guardian statues stand in the front of the gate, which is why it was long called the Nio-mon. They are carved from Kiso cypress, are 4.54 and 4.93 metres tall and weigh about 1,000 kg each.

One has an open mouth and one a closed mouth, the "a" and "un" sounds that stand for the beginning and end of all things. They are guardians to be respected, so look, but do not climb on the railings or pose in mocking ways.

The giant straw sandals

Walk through and turn around. On the back of the gate hang a pair of enormous straw sandals, 4.5 metres tall, 1.5 metres wide and about 500 kg, made from 2,500 kg of rice straw.

They are offered by people from Murayama City in Yamagata Prefecture. The current pair was dedicated in October 2018. The sandals are a sign of the Nio guardians' strength, meant to warn off evil.

Anything that sees sandals this size will think twice about the giant who wears them.

The treasures upstairs

The upper floor is a storeroom and is not open to visitors. The temple keeps a Yuan-dynasty edition of the complete Buddhist scriptures there, an Important Cultural Property, along with statues of Shakyamuni and the Four Heavenly Kings.

Allow 10 minutes at the gate. Step to the side to take photos rather than stopping in the middle of the passage.

The Main Hall and the Five-Storey Pagoda

The Main Hall is where people pray to Kannon. Climb the steps, drop a coin in the offering box, and pray quietly. Look up as you go in.

The ceiling paintings of angels and a dragon are the part most visitors miss. The hidden statue of Kannon is kept in an inner sanctuary that is never opened.

To the left of Hozomon stands the five-storey pagoda, 53 metres from the ground. It was rebuilt in 1973 and holds sacred relics of the Buddha on its top level.

It is not open to visitors, but it is the best backdrop in Asakusa for a family photo, especially in kimono.

Temple Etiquette for Incense, Prayer and Omikuji

Senso-ji is relaxed about visitors, and nobody expects you to know every rule. A few simple habits are enough.

1. Incense

In front of the Main Hall stands a large incense burner. Buy a bundle of incense if you like, light it and place it in the burner, then wave the smoke toward yourself.

People believe the smoke is good for health, and children often wave it over their heads.

2. Prayer

This is a Buddhist temple, so you do not clap. Bow lightly, put a coin in the offering box, press your hands together and pray in silence, then bow again.

Clapping is for Shinto shrines, such as Asakusa Shrine next door.

3. Omikuji fortunes

On both sides of the Main Hall are the omikuji stands. Put 100 yen in the box, shake the metal canister until a stick comes out, read its number, and open the drawer with the same number to take your fortune.

The paper has an English translation. If your fortune is bad, fold it and tie it to the racks provided to leave the bad luck at the temple. You can keep a good one.

4. Photos

Photos are fine in the grounds. Inside the Main Hall, follow the signs and do not photograph people while they pray.

Asakusa Shrine and Festivals

Just to the right of the Main Hall is Asakusa Shrine, a Shinto shrine to the three men linked to the temple's founding, the two fishermen and the local lord who enshrined the statue. Its building dates from 1649 and survived the 1945 air raids.

Here you bow twice, clap twice and bow once.

The shrine hosts the Sanja Matsuri every May, one of Tokyo's biggest festivals, when portable shrines are carried through the streets of Asakusa. The streets are packed, so families with small children are better off watching from a side street.

In the first days of January, crowds come for hatsumode, the first temple visit of the year, and queues to reach the Main Hall can be long.

Visiting Senso-ji with Kids on Our Classic Morning

Senso-ji works well with children because they can wave incense smoke, draw a fortune, find the giant sandals and eat a warm cake on Nakamise. It is where our classic family day in Tokyo begins.

A few practical points for families.

• Strollers. The grounds are flat and paved, but the Main Hall is up a flight of stone steps. Nakamise is too crowded for a stroller by late morning, so go early or use a carrier.
• Toilets. There are public toilets in the grounds and at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center opposite Kaminarimon.
• Kimono. Asakusa has many rental shops. Book ahead in cherry blossom season and autumn.

If you would like the whole day planned around your children's pace, naps and lunch, that is what our private Tokyo tour with kids is for. For more ideas across the city, see things to do in Tokyo with kids.

Things to Do Near Senso-ji

Asakusa has enough for a full day, and most of it is within 10 minutes on foot.

Place	Why go	From Senso-ji
Tea ceremony	Learn to whisk matcha in a short, seated session	A few minutes on foot
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center	Free rooftop terrace looking over Nakamise	Opposite Kaminarimon
Sumida River	Riverside walk with views of Tokyo Skytree	5 minutes
Little Museum of Glass Art Books	Engrave your own glass in about an hour	About 10 minutes on foot
Kappabashi	Kitchenware street and food sample workshops	15 minutes
Ueno	Zoo, museums and a big park	5 minutes by Ginza Line

For a seated break with children, a tea ceremony in Asakusa is the easiest cultural experience to add. Choose a session of about 45 minutes or less.

Older children who like cooking enjoy Kappabashi, where they can make their own plastic food. To plan a whole Tokyo itinerary around Asakusa, browse our tours in Tokyo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Senso-ji free to enter?

Yes. The grounds, the Main Hall and Asakusa Shrine are all free. You only pay for things such as incense, omikuji fortunes (100 yen) and charms.

What time does Senso-ji open?

The grounds are open 24 hours. The Main Hall opens at 6:00 and closes at 17:00, opening at 6:30 instead from October to March.

How long do you need at Senso-ji?

Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the gates, Nakamise, the Main Hall and the pagoda, and about half a day if you add a tea ceremony and lunch in Asakusa.

What is the difference between Kaminarimon and Hozomon?

Kaminarimon is the outer gate with the giant red lantern and the wind and thunder gods. Hozomon is the inner gate in front of the Main Hall, guarded by two Nio statues, with giant straw sandals on its back.

Do you clap at Senso-ji?

No. Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple, so you bow and pray quietly. Clapping twice is for Shinto shrines, such as Asakusa Shrine next to the Main Hall.

Is Senso-ji good for kids?

Yes. Children enjoy the incense smoke, drawing an omikuji fortune, the giant straw sandals on Hozomon and the snacks on Nakamise. Go before 9:30 to avoid the crowds.

Sources

https://www.senso-ji.jp/english/
https://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/
https://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/guide03.html
https://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/guide06.html
https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/15/index.html