Taito City Trip Overview
Discover Tokyo’s famed district of Asakusa on this private tour designed especially for families. In the company of an expert guide, unearth the history of the district on a walking tour before heading to an amusement park that provides entertainment for kids and adults alike.
During your walking tour, listen to the mysterious story of the two brothers who found a Buddhist statue in the river which became the origin of Sensoji Temple. Admire statues, lanterns, souvenir shops which are selected especially for children. Celebrate or despair with your children depending on the outcome of Sensoji’s infamous paper fortunes.
Later, head to Hanayashiki, the oldest amusement park in Japan opened in 1853. This somewhat quaint facility now features 20+ kinds of modern rides and attractions. Enjoy an incredible inclusion in the tour: unlimited access to rides and attractions with much less waiting time than in major theme parks. Feel free to stay at the park after your tour ends.
Additional Info
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
Starts: Taito City, Japan
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Taito City Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Taito City, Tokyo, Japan
Discover Tokyo’s famed district of Asakusa on this private tour designed especially for families. In the company of an expert guide, unearth the history of the district on a walking tour before heading to an amusement park that provides entertainment for kids and adults alike.
During your walking tour, listen to the mysterious story of the two brothers who found a Buddhist statue in the river which became the origin of Sensoji Temple. Admire statues, lanterns, souvenir shops which are selected especially for children. Celebrate or despair with your children depending on the outcome of Sensoji’s infamous paper fortunes.
Later, head to Hanayashiki, the oldest amusement park in Japan opened in 1853. This somewhat quaint facility now features 20+ kinds of modern rides and attractions. Enjoy an incredible inclusion in the tour: unlimited access to rides and attractions with much less waiting time than in major theme parks. Feel free to stay at the park after your tour ends.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Sumida River, Tokyo Prefecture
Just as Asakusa’s history started by the Sumida river, so do our tours. Across the Azumabashi bridge, we will see Tokyo Sky Tree, Asahi Breweries’ headquarters with its world-famous golden flame object.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, 2-18-9 Kaminarimon, Taito 111-0034 Tokyo Prefecture
From Sumida river, we will stroll to Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. This is not not just a valuable source of sightseeing information, but one of Asakusa’s newest sightseeing attractions. This 8-story building, designed by a world famous Japanese architect, has a very striking structure with the appearance of a stack of separate wooden buildings that seem piled up on top of each other at different angles. From the open terrace Observation Deck on the 8th floor of the Center, we will have a preview of the entire tour course: not just Tokyo Sky Tree and Asahi Flame we have just seen but the landmarks we are going to see including Kaminarimon gate, Nakamise shopping street, Hozomon gate, Sensoji Temple, and more.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan
Kaminarimon gate (“Thunder Gate”) is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple. The gate, with its huge red lantern and statues, is popular among tourists. The guide will demystify this giant lantern and its surrounding objects.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon), 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture
This shopping street connects Kaminarimon gate and Sensoji-temple’s main gate. The 250 m approach is lined with a number of souvenir shops and food stalls. The guide will show you where to buy souvenirs you are interested in. The other fun part of strolling along it is that the guide will buy you traditional snacks in Asakusa; note that the guide may buy snacks in other places in the tour based on your preferences.
Toward the end of this long street, we will see a history tablets on its side which depict how Asakusa started and developed around Sensoji-temple.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Hozomon, 2-3-2 Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture
The Hōzōmon (Treasure-House Gate) is the inner of two large entrance gates that ultimately leads to the Sensō-ji temple (the outer being the Kaminarimon), Tokyo. A two-story gate, the Hōzōmon’s second story houses many of the Sensō-ji’s treasures. We will see two statues, three lanterns and two large sandals housed in the first story.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Senso-ji Temple, 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture
Between Hozomon gate and Sensoji’s main hall, we have a lot to see and do.
On the left, we will see Five-storied Pagoda the second highest (53m-high) pagoda in Japan built in 942. It holds Buddha’s ashes on its top floor given by Sri Lankan goverment and buddhist society for goodwill between Sri Lanka and Japan.
We will have three major things to observe or do before entering the temple’s main hall.
First:
– You will draw omikuji, or paper fortune, to predict your future (included in the costs you have already paid).
Second:
– Most Japanese stop at the huge bronze incense burner to bathe their hands and faces in the smoke. This is a ritual to ward off illnesses-before climbing the stairs to offer their prayers.
Third:
– Water purification fountain which people use to purify themselves before going inside the temple. You will also see a famous sculpture perching on the fountain.
We will now proceed to the main hall of the temple which is the climax of the tour. Look forward to what you will see and the guide will recount there!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Asakusa Shrine, 2-3-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture
After the magnificence of Sensoji, we’ll escape into the Rokku area: Asakusa’s traditional entertainment district, always bustling yet rarely busy. Walk through the Meiji period into the present day (with stops along the way for more Japanese sweet snacks).
Once a district of endless novelty — movies, comedians and exotic animals — Rokku passed through its glory days to become a quaint neighborhood of handicrafts and nostalgia. Through vivid descriptions of its complex, colorful history, you’ll even see sights that aren’t there to see anymore!
Packed with cosy bars, eateries, and snack stands, as well as boutique shops for traditionally crafted goods of all kinds, the narrow, winding and wandering streets of Rokku will lead you through the other Asakusa experience.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Hanayashiki, 2-28-1, Asakusa, Taito 111-0032 Tokyo Prefecture
Now, it’s the long-waited Hanayashiki, the amusement park!
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
