Senso-Ji Temple

As we walked up the steep stairs of the underground subway station, we could already hear the busy streets of Asakusa.  We found ourselves stepping into the fast moving foot traffic of a big city.  And after viewing many pictures of Asakusa online and reading countless reviews, it was a surreal experience to suddenly be standing before the Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate.  

It was mid-day and there were thousands of tourists trying to get a picture in front of the huge gate with its lanterns and statues.  The Kaminarimon is the first of two entrance gates to the Senso-Ji.

Kaminarimon in the early morning

A Rickshaw pulling a Bride and Groom

After entering the first gate, we walked through a shopping street, called Nakamise.  This then leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon.  The shopping street has many Japanese souvenirs and various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area. This picture was taken just after opening at 10:30am.  If you were to walk through in the afternoon, it can be very crowded.

School children visiting one of the stands on Nakamise

After walking through Nakamise, you will walk through the second gate, Hozomon, which leads to the temple's main hall and a 5-story pagoda.

Standing in front of the main hall.  The shrine office is to the right.

     Before walking into the main hall, you will see the shrine office that is located in front of Sensō-ji’s main temple building.  After placing a 100 yen coin through the collection box, shake the omikuji box in order to pull out a rod through the hole.  You will match the kanji to the corresponding drawer that holds your “Omikuji” or strip of paper that predicts your fortune when you make a prayer to the gods and buddhas.  The contents written on that special piece of paper shows your future. There are 7 types of results for omikuji, ranging from the best “daikichi,” to the worst “daikyou."  If you've been given a bad fortune, simply leave it behind by tying the slip to the iron rods.  The action of “tying the paper” is recommended by the temple in order to seal the fate.

 Inside the Main Hall

After leaving the main hall, there is a beautiful Japanese garden just outside.

 Please be sure to reserve a full day when visiting Senso-Ji Temple!