Asakusa in 2 hours: a local's walking route
Start at Kaminarimon in the morning, walk Nakamise to Senso-ji, take in the free view from the tourist center's 8th-floor terrace and finish at the river for the Skytree. Everything on this route is free except what you eat. Prefer the evening? Walk it after dark for the light-up.
Walking route · About 2 hours
- 1Kaminarimon Gate, AsakusaStart here in the morning, before the crowds · 15 min
- 2Nakamise Street, AsakusaEat your way up — 3–4 snacks at about ¥500 · 30 min
- 3Senso-ji TempleMain hall and pagoda — try the free Ito En tea · 20 min
- 4Asakusa Tourist Information CenterFree 8th-floor terrace with a view down Nakamise · 20 min
- 5Skytree view from Azuma Bridge, AsakusaSkytree across the river — walk the riverside · 30 min
Morning or evening?
I’d do this route at one of two times. In the morning the gates and Nakamise are quiet and the main hall is open (from 6 a.m. in summer, 6:30 a.m. October–March). In the evening the hall is closed after 5 p.m., but Kaminarimon, Hozomon, the pagoda and the main hall are lit up from sunset until about 11 p.m., and the crowds have gone. Both are better than midday.
The route
- Kaminarimon (15 min). The Thunder Gate and its giant lantern. Take your photo, then walk through.
- Nakamise (30 min). About 90 shops of snacks and souvenirs. Eat your way up it: three or four snacks at around ¥500 each.
- Senso-ji (20 min). Hozomon gate, the main hall and the five-story pagoda — 20 minutes is enough. Entry is free. Look for the small hut in the grounds where you can taste Ito En green tea for free; I recommend it.
- Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center (20 min). Opposite Kaminarimon. The 8th-floor terrace is free and open until 10 p.m., with a view straight down Nakamise to the temple.
- Azuma Bridge (30 min). Walk to the river for Tokyo Skytree across the water. Don’t stop at the first spot — stroll along the promenade for different angles.
The Open whole route in Google Maps button above loads all five stops for walking directions.
Want a drink afterwards?
Hoppy Street, the lane of open-air izakaya, is a few minutes west of the temple.
Got more time?
Add Kappabashi Kitchen Town (10–15 minutes’ walk west) or take the water bus from the pier beside Azuma Bridge. For everything else, see the Asakusa travel guide.