Asakusa: 3.5-hour Big-picture History Walk
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Asakusa: 3.5-hour Big-picture History Walk
Next available dates
Sun
22 Mar
Mon
23 Mar
Tue
24 Mar
Bestseller
History Tour
Duration: 3 hours
Instant confirmation
Free cancellation
Start times
From
AUD 101.41
Highlights
What if one half-day walk in Asakusa could reveal the bigger story of Japan? This tour goes far beyond sightseeing, using real landmarks to explain not just what you see, but as a gateway to understand Japan’s history, beliefs, and society. With your expert guide, you’ll:
1) Explore Japan’s 300-year isolation and reopening to the world.
2) Understand why Japan chose the Netherlands as its only trading partner when it closed itself.
3) Learn how the 19th-century Japanese art had an impact on the West, especially French impressionists.
4) Discover how Shinto and Buddhism have coexisted for over a millennium, with shared worshippers and a shared influence on everyday life.
5) Compare Japanese and Western symbolism, including dragons.
6) Discover the shared mindsets in Japan and the West a millennium ago.
7) Experience the contrast between the sacred temple and former entertainment districts
8) Explore nostalgic postwar lanes, and streets that evoke Edo-period Japan.
Itinerary
Sumida River
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeBegin along the Sumida River, where the story of Japan’s isolation and opening to the world comes alive. Learn why the Edo shogunate sealed the country for over 200 years, why the Netherlands alone was permitted to trade, and how Admiral Perry’s arrival forced Japan to reopen. The guide connects this past to modern Tokyo—right down to Odaiba’s former gun batteries and today’s Statue of Liberty replica facing the Pacific.Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
15 minsAdmission Ticket IncludedGet a clear introduction to Japan’s two major religions, Buddhism and Shinto, setting the foundation for everything you’ll see ahead.Asakusa Kaminarimon Gate
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeAt Asakusa’s iconic gate, explore the fascinating contrast between Japanese and Western dragons—and learn why the Japanese dragon plays exactly an opposite role from the Western one.Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon)
30 minsAdmission Ticket FreeStroll through one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets while learning about Buddhist symbols like the vajra (tokko) and the world-changing impact of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Discover how these prints unexpectedly reached Europe—and inspired Western Impressionist painters.Hozomon
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeHere, your guide reveals a surprising truth: people in Japan and the West shared remarkably similar ways of thinking 1,000 years ago.Senso-ji Temple
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeTokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple offers another striking comparison between medieval Japan and Europe, along with a clear explanation of how prayer differs in Buddhism and Shinto.Asakusa Shrine
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeTo those familiar with religions, it is unfathomable that Busshist temple and shinto shrine coexist on the same premises and share both their origins and worshipers. In that sense, Asakusa shrine is not just another shinto shrine in Japan. The guide will tell you why and you will find how these two religions are ingrained in life of the ordinary Japanese.Senso-ji Temple Yogodo
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWhile the Yōgōdō Hall houses the “Twelve Zodiac Guardian Deities,” it’s the only place at Sensō-ji where you can receive a goshuin. A goshuin is a sacred temple seal, hand-written in beautiful calligraphy by a monk or temple staff member.Asakusa Nishisando
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeCompared with the busy souvenir stalls of Nakamise Street, this small shopping street offers a quieter, nostalgic atmosphere. Enjoy the respite away from the bustling Nakamise.Japanese theater Tokyo Asakusa Mokubakan
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWhile Sensō-ji represents spiritual Asakusa, this area represents its entertainment culture. Before Shinjuku or Shibuya became famous, this was the place to come for modern entertainment.Hoppy Street
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWhile Sensō-ji represents spiritual Asakusa, Hoppy Street shows us its working-class soul. This narrow lane is famous for old-style Japanese pubs where people sit at small outdoor tables, eat grilled skewers, and drink from early afternoon, embodying a symbol of postwar recovery and working-class resilience.Toyokan
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWhile Sensō-ji represents sacred Asakusa, this area is known for laughter and entertainment. Feel the atmosphere of the city’s most exciting place in the early 20th century, a hub of modern culture: cinemas, comedians, variety shows, and popular theater.Denboin Street
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeFeel like stepping into an old movie set of Edo-period Japan. The wooden-style facades and traditional decorations are designed to recreate the atmosphere of commoners' quarters in the Edo-period.
What's included
INCLUDED
Earphone Guide System to deliver the guide’s voice securely to each participant from distance.
English-speaking guide
Selection of Japanese sweet snacks (e.g. melon pan, rice dumpling, rice cracker, sweet puffed rice).
NOT INCLUDED
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks, except those specified
Customer reviews
Additional information
Must Know
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Good To Know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
We accept last-minute bookings until two hours prior to the tour start time.
The maximum group size is 8 people, to ensure proper hospitality
A moderate amount of walking is involved; please choose appropriate footwear
Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately
Bottled water is recommended but vending machines are available
If you have special dietary or accessibility requirements, please contact us and we will do our very best to accommodate you
Children younger than 6 may join the tour without charge but will not be entitled to inclusions
Due to the historical focus of the tour, it is recommended for adults, but families are welcome
Location
Address
Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Provider
Arumachi
From
AUD 101.41
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