During this two-hour Asakusa tour, we'll join a local historian and Tokyo expert to explore this exciting neighborhood, sitting in the "low" area of the city, away from Tokyo’s flashy lights and business centers. Also known as the geisha district, the Asakusa area was well established before the Tokugawa Shogunate began to rule from Edo—what later became Tokyo—in 1603. We will discuss this national narrative as we walk through this area that still hints at some of the characters of old Japan. We'll explore the role of Asakusa as a sleepy fishing village turned geisha district, and look at larger themes of pleasure and entertainment in the history of Tokyo, all the while getting a great feel for the atmosphere and culture of this popular area of Tokyo.

To frame the story of Asakusa's place in Edo (now Tokyo), our Asakusa tour revolves around Buddhist temples. We'll weave between Asakusa's past and present, discussing its importance and significance to Japan’s distant history, but also such recent topics as the after-effects of WWII and the birth of the plastic food that can be found across Japan. We'll come to better understand how the neighborhood has evolved—and stayed the same. We’ll discuss Asakusa's role as an entertainment district, ukiyo (the "floating world" pleasure-seeking culture of Edo-era Japan). This is one of the main reasons why Asakusa became what it is: without the trade and development of the merchant houses, there would not have been enough money to float around in the "floating world."

We'll walk briefly along the shopping street Nakamise Dori, discussing how Asakusa was rebuilt after the WWII firebombing. Our Asakusa tour ends, however, at Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, Senso-ji. This is one of Tokyo's most important religious sites, badly damaged during WWII but eventually rebuilt. We may also discuss the Asakusa shrine, which lies on the grounds of the Buddhist temple, showing that unique mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism that has, in many ways, made Japan what it is today. Senso-ji and its Japanese-style garden make for a quiet place of contemplation, and it's here that we'll wrap up our walking tour.

Wrapping up your Tokyo Asakusa Tour, you'll emerge with a stronger understanding of the many roles this neighborhood has played in the history of Edo/Tokyo as well as the area’s overall connection to the rest of the country.