It was our third day in Tokyo, and we took the train around 9am. Since it was a public holiday, I wasn’t too worried about it being crowded. We took 2 trains and a bit of walking to reach Nakamise Street.

Walking through Nakamise Street felt like stepping into a long, living hallway of colours, scents, and tiny treasures. Both sides of the street were lined with little shops selling everything from fans, charms, chopsticks, and souvenirs I didn’t think I needed… until I suddenly did.

I could smell sweet rice crackers toasting somewhere ahead, mixed with the soft incense drifting from the direction of the temple. Every few steps, something new caught my attention… a shop frying snacks, a vendor packing tiny boxes of sweets, mochi with different fillings. I kept stopping, then telling myself I wouldn’t stop anymore but then again I do a few metres later.

As I walked closer, the view began to open up. The crowds thinned just enough for the big gate and that massive red lantern to appear, hanging proudly like a landmark that’s been watching over the place for centuries. Passing under it felt a little magical.

And then there it was, the Sensō-ji Temple, standing calmly ahead despite all the movement around it.

Standing before Kaminarimon, the famous “Thunder Gate” of Asakusa, felt like stepping straight into one of Tokyo’s most iconic postcards. The massive red lantern hanging in the centre is impossible to miss—it’s bold, dramatic, and somehow even bigger in person than in all the photos I’d seen.

A bit of Trivia; the large red lantern in the center of the Kaminarimon gate weighs about 700 kilograms

This is the giant straw sandal called Ō-waraji (大草鞋), and it hangs on the back side of the Kaminarimon Gate at Sensō-ji Temple. It literally means “big straw sandal.” It’s a huge traditional Japanese sandal made of thick woven straw. It’s also a charm for safe travel and protection on one’s journey.

This is the Main Hall (Kannondo Hall) with a wonderful paintings on the ceiling.

There were so many things to view around the main entrance. There are lanterns and Japanese paintings.

There is also the impressive five-storied pagoda,

The giant incense burner (the big green “vase”) – This is the jōkōro. People wave the incense smoke toward themselves for good health.

At Sensō-ji, you can draw an omikuji—a traditional Japanese fortune. You shake a metal box until a stick comes out, match the number, and receive your fortune paper. If it’s good, like mine, you keep it.

If the fortune is bad, like Jack’s, fold it and tie it onto the nearby racks or wires. The belief is that leaving the bad fortune behind helps prevent it from coming true.

It’s a small ritual, but it adds a lovely moment of connection to the temple—half tradition, half travel magic.

We grabbed lunch nearby, but honestly, it was a bit of a waste… everything was so greasy and oily that we barely finished it

Then we continued on exploring. With this bridge in a small Japanese garden with Koi fish swimming around, giving a sense of tranquility.

Here is a Buddha in the Sensoji Temple Gardens

Then we found these statues in the quieter corners of the garden. I noticed that these stone statues had red bibs or red hats.

Later did I find out that these are Jizo statues and Jizō is especially known as the guardian of children, travelers, and unborn babies. The red cloth is a way of offering care, warmth, and blessings.

I especially planned on coming here this exact day (November 3) because of the annual White Heron Dance performance. It was a Public Holiday ( Cultural Day) so I expected it to be very busy … and it was.

The event is a popular cultural attraction dedicated to warding off epidemics and praying for good fortune. 

After the performance we decided to go back so as to reach our hotel before sundown. But that didn’t happen as you can see. There were still so many things to see.

And as the sun was setting, you can see that we were still in Asakusa. But we went back not long after. And not too bad today, I just did 13,128 steps.

This was in 3 November 2025.