Sensō-ji, Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo, Japan
Temple Sensō, also known as Sensoji, is a Buddhist temple in the Asakusa neighborhood of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The complex is entered through the Kaminarimon, a large gate with a red lantern at its center, and continues along a covered shopping street before reaching the main hall and a five-story pagoda.
According to legend, two fishermen pulled a small gold statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, from the Sumida River in the 7th century, which led to the founding of the temple. The original buildings were destroyed during World War II and the main hall was rebuilt in the 1950s.
Visitors wave incense smoke over themselves at the large burners in the courtyard, a practice common at Buddhist temples across Japan. Along Nakamise Dori, the shopping street leading to the main hall, small stalls sell rice crackers, green tea sweets, and handmade crafts in a tradition that stretches back centuries.
The temple grounds are open throughout the year and no reservation is needed to enter. The nearest train stations are a short walk away, making it easy to reach the Kaminarimon gate on foot.
The small gold statue said to have been pulled from the river has never been put on public display and remains hidden to this day. It is kept inside the main hall, but no visitor has ever seen it directly.
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