| The spiritual heart of Asakusa, and for that matter | | | | a souvenir or two before entering the main ground |
| Tokyo, is the impressive Sensoji Buddhist Temple. | | | | of the temple. |
| Built sometime in the 7th century before Tokyo was | | | | The main ground itself buzzes with accents from all |
| even Edo, to house the golden statue of Kannon, the | | | | over the world and the click of cameras. Travelers |
| goddess of mercy, which, according to legend was | | | | and locals mix on the temple grounds, uniting in their |
| fished out of the nearby Simudagawa, by two local | | | | mission to pay their respects. 100 yen will buy you an |
| fisherman brothers. Despite their efforts to return | | | | omikuji (fortune written on a small piece of paper). |
| Kannon to the river where she was found, the | | | | You place the money in an honor box and shake a |
| statue kept finding its way back to them. | | | | small cylinder containing sticks with numbers written |
| Subsequently a temple was built to house the | | | | on them. Shake the cylinder until one of the sticks |
| goddess. Sensoji is Tokyo's only agreed tourist | | | | falls out and pull your fortune from a drawer with the |
| attraction, and is visited daily by hundreds of tourists | | | | corresponding number. If your fortune is bad, tie the |
| and worshipers from Japan and all over the world. | | | | paper onto a nearby string so that the wind can |
| Arriving from Asakusa subway station, Sensoji is | | | | disperse the bad luck. |
| entered through Kiminarimon ("Thunder Gate"). A | | | | Center stage in the temple forecourt is an incense |
| majestic structure that houses two protective deities: | | | | burner. Here you will usually see a group of visitors |
| Fuijin, the god of wind, on the right, and Raijin, the | | | | fanning smoke from the burning incense over |
| god of thunder, on the left. These ferocious gods | | | | themselves. The incense is believed to have healing |
| oversee all who enter the temple and keep the | | | | powers, and so fanning the smoke over your ailment |
| grounds safe. | | | | will help to heal it. If you suffer from headache, fan |
| Once inside the gate, you will come to Nakamise-dori. | | | | some of the smoke over your head. |
| This shopping street, set within the actual temple | | | | The main temple hall still houses the golden statue of |
| precinct, has a history all of its own. These stalls and | | | | Kannon, a diminutive 6cm tall, and is viewable by the |
| their proprietors are a living part of a centuries old | | | | public. Step forward to cast some coins in the offer |
| tradition of selling wares to the pilgrims visiting the | | | | box, which sits in front of the alter, take a step |
| temple. | | | | back, place your hands together, prey and then bow. |
| In the late 17th century, neighbors of the Sensoji | | | | This is the standard practice of preying at a Buddhist |
| who received and served visitors to the temple, | | | | temple. |
| were rewarded by being given a special right to open | | | | To the left of the forecourt and forming part of the |
| shops to sell their wares along the approach to the | | | | temple, is the 5 story (53 meter) pagoda. A 1973 |
| temple. | | | | reconstruction of the original pagoda built on the |
| This continued until 1885, when the Tokyo | | | | same ground. This is the largest pagoda in Tokyo. |
| metropolitan government, having taken control of the | | | | Destroyed by earthquakes and World War Two |
| land belonging to Sensoji, ordered all Nakamise | | | | aerial bombings, Sensoji Temple has been rebuilt and |
| merchants to leave and in the same year built | | | | reconstructed time and time again. Testament to the |
| western style brick shops, leading to the beginning of | | | | significance it holds within the Buddhist community |
| modern Nakamese. | | | | and the general public. A remembrance of centuries |
| Today you can find everything from tourist trinkets, | | | | old values and traditions that carry on today within |
| such as folding fans, to traditional Japanese clothing | | | | Tokyo's chaotic lifestyle, Sensoji is a steadying |
| including kimonos and yukata, to local snack foods. | | | | reminder that despite warring nations and new |
| Stretching out for some 200 meters, Nakamise-dori is | | | | technology, some things will always remain. |
| the perfect place to while away an hour and pick up | | | | |