Sensouji Temple in Asakusa

Sensouji Temple in Asakusa

As promised, here are some pics and my quick take on one of my favorite temples in Japan, Asakusa's Sensouji Temple.

I found out that Sensouji is Tokyo's oldest temple, first built in the year 645. Supposedly, there's a legend that says two fisherman brothers found a statue of the goddess of luck in the Sumida River closeby, and they created a shrine for it, later becoming Sensouji. Right outside the temple, there is the infamous Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), a major and well-known symbol of both Asakusa and Tokyo.

It's a colorful temple, with wide open spaces filled with bustling people. But other than Sensouji itself, there's lots to see in Asakusa and it makes a great place for taking walks. The shopping streets of Nakamise go from the temple's outer gates and stretch further into Asakusa city. There are mostly small shops that sell souvenirs like yukata, fans, and traditional Japanese snacks. Back in the day (around the 1600's Edo Period), it used to be Tokyo's main entertainment district with all sorts of kabuki theaters and the like, but in the late 1800's to early 1990's, more modern types of entertainment made their way to Asakusa, too.

And also, about twenty minutes away, if you cross the Sumida River (I always walk across the Azumahashi Bridge, because it's suuuuper beautiful, especially during sunset), you can find Tokyo Skytree. And Skytree is awesome because not only does it have great shopping and a great view of the city, it also has an aquarium with penguins (though I've never met them, I know they're there).

Sometimes, when I go to these temples, I also like to do omikuji to see where my fate is headed. An omikuji isn't so much like "fortune telling"; it's more or less a written oracle, cautioning you about something that COULD or COULD NOT happen based on the decisions you make in your life. Whether good or bad, you should "tenaciously do your best, because you carve out your own fortune."

Anyways, here's how this one in Asakusa is done:
1. Put a 100en coin in the offering box, and while praying for your wish, shake the box until a stick comes out.
2. The stick will have a number on it (written in kanji), so make sure you know your number, then put the stick back in the box.
3. Take out a sheet of omikuji from the drawer with your corresponding number, and read it. (These had English on them too!)
4. If you got a bad fortune, you tie it there, but if it's a good fortune, you keep it with you in your wallet so you can remember its message.

And that's all for now! In the next dew days, I'll be going to a Snow Camp up north in Nagano, and then right after (the day after, actually), I'll be going with my host family down south to Nagasaki! So if it takes me a while to get back to you all, that's why - cuz I'm adventuring. :)