Discover Tokyo’s old-world charm at the Senso-ji temple

Nothing epitomises the old-world charm of the city of Tokyo like Senso-ji. Just a stone’s throw from the Asakusa subway station, this ancient Buddhist temple is the city’s oldest standing temple, having been around since the 7th century. According to the legends that float among the locals, it all started with two brothers fishing out the statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy from the Sumida River. What makes the story even more interesting is the fact that whenever the brothers returned the image back to the river, it again returned to them. This is when the brothers got inspired and finally built the temple in 645 AD, which has since been housing the goddess in her full glory. If the above piece of history fails to charm you, rest assured, the sights at the Senso-ji Temple will. Right at the entrance is the magnificent Thunder Gate (Kaminari-mon). The big red-and-black coloured lantern hanging in the center is a show stopper and a cultural symbol of the city in its own right. The other attractive sights that make this place so popular with thousands of tourists each day are the colourful shops at Nakamise shopping arcade which is a bit touristy but still good to catch your eye, the Hozomon gate which stands as a sentinel to the Asakusa Kannon Temple and the Senso-ji Temple, the sacred incense pot said to bestow good health, and of course, the main temple hall along with its adjoining precincts—all enveloped in a charm of yore.