Asakusa is one area of Tokyo which could be classified as traditional or old,
not only because of the buildings but also due to the somewhat older crowd
roaming through the streets ;).

During the Edo period, the area was at the northern edge of the city and
was well-known for its Yoshiwara pleasure quarter where prostitutes and
yakusas abounded.

Perhaps for this reason, it's in Asakusa that the first western-style
entertainment appeared in Tokyo (i.e., amusement park, western cinema,
striptease clubs, music hall, operas, etc).

Today, the area is mostly touristic/residential.

As other parts of Tokyo, Asakusa sustained heavy bombing damage near the
end of World War II which, amongst other things, levelled off the Sendo-ji
temple. The temple and its beautiful gardens were rebuilt in the 1950s.

Here are a few pics I took of the temple, amusement park, shopping streets,
as well as some other smaller streets farther away from the touristic area:

http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/6928/img34796rt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(I got the point :D)

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/9097/imga35503nd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/9652/imga35617qc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img498.imageshack.us/img498/8959/imga36379kv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img496.imageshack.us/img496/8462/imga36417qf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img497.imageshack.us/img497/350/img35088al.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img496.imageshack.us/img496/7724/img35188lv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img492.imageshack.us/img492/8201/img35210aw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img499.imageshack.us/img499/7056/img35308ck.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/4551/img35328ty.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/7946/img35361ht.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/894/img35374tn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/7135/img35545su.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/85/img35552rm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/9229/img35674uw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/360/img35747dz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img464.imageshack.us/img464/6428/img36602kj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/4620/img36687ib.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/1600/imgc35882sm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(the building with the yellow flame on top was designed by a french
architect: and yes, it's intended to represent a flame :D)

http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/2981/imgc36954qd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/8586/imgd34921kj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/2609/imgd35004kz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/3310/imgd35710yi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/7573/imgd35784bc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/4913/imgd35797eo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/8739/imgd35811lr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/3536/imgd36721tc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img493.imageshack.us/img493/6529/imgd36740my.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img500.imageshack.us/img500/3311/imgb35861ax.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6394/imgb36492hx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/5823/imgb36574yb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/4525/imgb36912bk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Cheers

intersting

Looks really lively and interesting. I would visit there someday in the future.

Really great pics! :okay:

Thanks for the pics. It`s quite cool area with its narrow streets and densely located buildings.

Here are some of mine with better weather:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0354.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0348.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0347.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0370.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0371-.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0362.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0349.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0375.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0372.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0369.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/reigh/Japan/IMG_0350.jpg

Nice jobs...

Ray- what kind of camera did you use?

Canon Powershot S70

Which river is that and what's the name of the temple.

Sumida River and Sensoji Temple

Great. Thanks, Unsing.

Asakusa, Sanja Fsetival..etc
http://junko55.web.infoseek.co.jp/02maturi/DSC05983.JPG
http://junko55.web.infoseek.co.jp/DSC06075.JPG
http://junko55.web.infoseek.co.jp/DSC06083.JPG
http://junko55.web.infoseek.co.jp/DSC06093.JPG
http://www.e-lion.jp/DSCN1812_1.jpg
http://www.e-lion.jp/DSCN1866_1.jpg
http://www.e-lion.jp/DSCN1829_1.jpg
http://motoemon.com/diary/2003/0518-asakusa/img/asakusa03.JPG
http://cyousaya.fc2web.com/syasin-kan/h12-sanja/inase_gal1.jpg
http://www.e-lion.jp/DSCN1822_1.jpg
http://www.689.jp/hina/day/2004/05/5216.JPG
ya-san LOL
http://wadaphoto.jp/maturi/images/san10l.jpg
http://wadaphoto.jp/maturi/images/san_a00l.jpg
http://www.orandajin.net/pictures/sanja/photos/yakuza4.jpg
http://www.orandajin.net/pictures/sanja/photos/yakuza7.jpg
http://www.orandajin.net/pictures/sanja/photos/yakuza6.jpg
http://www.japanforum.org/stronapolska/festiwale/sanjamatsuri/sanja_tatuaze_p.jpg
http://www.burapavong.com/japan/asakusa/imgp4640.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200509/20050925_001.jpg
http://wadaphoto.jp/maturi/images/san18l.jpg
http://wadaphoto.jp/maturi/images/san05l.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200506/20050611_03.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200506/20050611_03.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200506/20050611_19.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050529_01.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050529_02.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050521_09.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050521_11.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050515_02.jpg
http://dazinann.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/images200505/20050503_22.jpg

oh man.. I missed Tokyo very much!

Cool pics.. :)

Man!, Those are very spectacular shots indeed. I love Tokyo very much.

Oh my God!! 私は実際にAsakusa を好む! 私は前にAsakusa に3 年行った! 私はすばらしいひとときをそこに過ごし、食糧は非常においしい! 東京は私が訪問したあることが最もよい場所の1 つである!

Thank you sooo much Japan!!

Not bad!
Those are some cool streets!

Is Asakusa a geisha district like Gion in Kyoto?

wow, I'm amazed at how clean those small alley ways are...a stark contrast to HK with similar streetscape...amazing!

I soooo wanna go to Japan now!

wow, I'm amazed at how clean those small alley ways are...a stark contrast to HK with similar streetscape...amazing!

I soooo wanna go to Japan now!


What do you mean by stark contrast? YOu haven't seen those darkest sides of Tokyo?

Rich in cultural scenes and way modern city. I love Tokyo very very much.

Is Asakusa a geisha district like Gion in Kyoto?

not so much -- asakusa is pretty down to earth; traditional but not trying to be classy. kagurazaka, which is much closer to the center of the city and not so well-known to tourists, is a place where you're more likely to see geisha. i'll post some pictures of it some day, if i'm ever able to post attachments.

Mukojima(向島） geisha was very famous near asakusa

I THINK ASAKUSA IS GREAT, AND I LIKE THE MIXED COLTURE AN ARCHITECTURE BETWEEN OLD AND NEW STYLES.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.:)

Im just curious, is it safe to assume that the men with full body tatoos in the festival are yakuza?

That's my home town. :D

Im just curious, is it safe to assume that the men with full body tatoos in the festival are yakuza?

They have succeeded the tradition of the festival of Japan though it is a Contradiction.

they cooperate in the festival with town ppl and protect it :lol:

vivid street life!

Thanks for sharing.

Yes..Asakusa Sensoji Temple was rebuilt in 1958. This year is 50th anniversary since its reconstruction.
The current one is a concrete building, not the original wooden one.

The famous gate below was reconstructed in 1960 with donation from Panasonic(松下電器、Matsushita Electric before). That's why its company name is engraved on the giant lantern.
http://www2.biglobe.ne.jp/~sota/special/special7/photo_1.jpg
It is so commercial.

Entire Asakusa area burned down to ashes by the bombing during the WWII.
So, those buildings in that areas are all new.

Maybe that's why I feel something fake when I visit Senso-ji temple and other asakusa
area...

But I think Asakusa is very successful as a tourist destination.

Im just curious, is it safe to assume that the men with full body tatoos in the festival are yakuza?

はい！ｗｗ

yes they are :P I think in kansai you can see more yakuza lol