1-Day Asakusa Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Asakusa – not to be confused with Akasaka – is a vibrant, historic and popular place for both locals and visitors alike. Filled to the brim with culture, tradition and iconic photo spots, Asakusa is a must-see place on one’s first visit to Tokyo. 

Like many other parts of Tokyo, Asakusa can easily be explored by foot. However, if you fancy a rest and a fun little adventure, you are free to try out one of the many rickshaws populating this busy area. There are many things to do in Asakusa!

Pulsating with the historic energy of old Tokyo, Asakusa boasts some of the city’s most-visited spots. Senso-ji Temple, a popular Buddhist temple dating back to the 7th century, is one of the district’s main attractions. Kaminarimon (Kaminari Gate) is another famous landmark – a large and bright red entrance gate leading to Senso-ji Temple. Aged over 1,000 years, it is one of Asakusa’s most famous symbols.

Asakusa is the perfect place for first-time visitors to see and explore. It contains some of the best aspects of old, traditional Japan by introducing visitors to an awe-inspiring temple, shopping streets reminiscent of centuries past and delicious treats lining the streets, waiting to be feasted on. Continue reading and check out our suggested one-day Asakusa itinerary!

Asakusa is a small area that only needs one station as an access point, Asakusa Station. Given its small size, this district is an extremely walkable area, where visitors can easily move from one activity or sightseeing spot to the next.

Asakusa Station has three convenient lines running through it: the Tobu Skytree Line, the Asakusa Line and the Ginza Line. 

Getting from Tokyo Station to Asakusa Station: There are a few different routes that can be taken from Tokyo Station to Asakusa. Please note that subject to date and times, some of these train routes will change. 

Here are some of the easiest and most convenient ones to try out:

• Take the JR Yamanote Line from Tokyo Station going counter-clockwise towards Ueno / Ikebukuro for one stop to Kanda Station. Transfer to the Ginza Line at Kanda. Go six stops on the Ginza Line from Kanda Station to Asakusa Station.

• Take the Rapid / Special Rapid JR Chuo Line from Tokyo Station for one stop to Kanda Station. Transfer to the Ginza Line at Kanda. Go six stops on the Ginza Line from Kanda Station to Asakusa Station.

• Take the Ueno-Tokyo Line Local JR Utsunomiya Line from Tokyo Station for one stop to Ueno Station. Transfer to the Ginza Line at Ueno. Go three stops on the Ginza Line from Ueno Station to Asakusa Station.

Start your day off right by filling your hungry belly with some of the tastiest treats and pastries Japan has to offer! 

Head to Asakusa Kagetsudo, a delicious bakery open from 10 am and specializing in cream-filled melon pan, one of Japan’s most iconic baked goods. Melon pan is a classic Japanese sweet bread that has a fluffy interior and crunchy exterior, due to the thin and crisp cookie crust covering the bread and resembling the texture of a melon.

Asakusa Kagetsudo also serves coffee, matcha, kakigori (shaved ice) and other Japanese desserts. Check out the menu.

One of the most Instagram-worthy and iconic streets in Asakusa is the Nakamise Shopping Street, stretching over approximately 250 meters from the bright red Kaminarimon to the main grounds of Senso-ji Temple.

The Nakamise Shopping Street has played an important role for individuals visiting Senso-ji Temple since the late 17th century. Considered one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, countless shops line the street and surround the visiting crowds, beckoning potential shoppers with local specialties and the usual array of typical Japanese souvenirs. 

Fans, daruma dolls, maneki neko (waving cats), tote bags and other small souvenirs are easily found here. Traditional Japanese food and snacks also populate the street, feeding hungry and eager visitors and shoppers as they go about their shopping day.

Find out more: Asakusa Street Foods, Desserts & Tours

It is best advised to arrive early in the morning, perhaps after 9 am when most shops open, or explore some of the shops running parallel to Nakamise Street during peak hours. 

There are many options to choose from when shopping in Asakusa.

Senso-ji is one of Tokyo’s most famous and popular ancient Buddhist temples. It boasts the status of being Tokyo’s oldest established temple and one of its most important. It is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion. Originally built in the 7th century, the current buildings are postwar reconstructions.

After passing through the Hozomon gate at the top of the Nakamise Shopping Street, you will find yourself inside Senso-ji Temple. Both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples require purification rituals upon entering their vicinity, and at Senso-ji, there is no exception. 

While Shinto shrines use water as a purification ritual, Buddhist temples use smoke from burning incense. There is a purification spot in the courtyard where you can purify yourself by wafting some of the smoke over and around your head. 

Don’t forget your omamori! Found at almost every (if not all) shrines and temples are omamori – amulets and charms sold to protect or aid you in various aspects of your life. Many people like to collect them, as each shrine and temple sells different ones.

Take advantage of Tokyo’s plethora of Michelin-starred restaurants and dive into a delectable lunch at Noura, a relaxed and casual French restaurant that won’t break the bank. 

Perhaps indulge in the omakase lunch course, collaborated on and created by chefs Matsumoto and Arai. This course includes an amuse-bouche, appetizer, main dish, dessert and digestif. 

Find out more: Taste the Best of Tokyo: 35 Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo

Not feeling like a French meal? Pas de problème! How about a lunch experience where you see a sumo, enjoy a traditional Japanese dance performance, eat chanko nabe (the famous sumo wrestler meal) and even challenge a real sumo wrestler to a fight? 

Your lunch will be prepared by a retired sumo wrestler, following an original recipe on chanko nabe stew. Your stew will consist of jidori chicken, bonito, kelp and shiitake mushrooms, with a bit of fried chicken and inari sushi on the side. 

Packed full of protein and nutrients, this is the kind of meal that sumo eat on the regular to build their strength.

Take a step back in time as you enter a traditional Japanese tea house to experience your very own Japanese tea ceremony in the historic district of Asakusa. At the tea house, you will be given a brief introduction to the tradition and art of Japanese tea ceremony. This will include an explanation on how matcha green tea is prepared. 

When participating in a typical Japanese tea ceremony, it is common for the tea to be served alongside beautiful wagashi, a traditional Japanese sweet that is intentionally crafted to complement the tea. 

You will have the chance to participate alongside your host, as you learn how to prepare and serve your very own matcha.

Find out more: Best Tea Ceremony Experiences in Tokyo

Two Michelin Stars await you at HOMMAGE, the appetizing yet unpretentious French restaurant where you can enjoy your best dinner in Asakusa. With its foundation in gratitude, admiration and respect, head chef Arai Noboru takes the time to appreciate everyone – from the masters who taught him his craft, to the suppliers who bring him the freshest ingredients, and the guests who seat themselves at his tables and enjoy his food. 

His firm dedication to humility and gratitude is the foundation for his food. He takes French cuisine and combines it with the Japanese influence of the “true beauty of flavor” to create dishes composed of the barest, yet tastiest, essentials.

Fancy a more traditionally Japanese option for your dinner? Opt for dinner in a traditional izakaya restaurant, accompanied by a historical tour of the area and a live performance with traditional Japanese instruments while eating dinner in Asakusa.

This experience runs from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, beginning with a fun and informative tour of Asakusa and then moving into an izakaya for a Japanese dinner. Enjoy a welcome drink, a dinner made up of many small Japanese plates and a live music performance.

Are you someone who sticks to a halal diet and have been searching for halal wagyu beef? Your search is off! Halal Wagyu Yakiniku Panga Asakusa is here to ensure that you too can enjoy the delights of yakiniku wagyu while respecting your dietary and lifestyle conditions.

This restaurant specializes in Japanese Black beef, one of the most famous breeds of wagyu, with a more thoughtful approach to butchering and grilling. In order to ensure the meat is strictly halal, the restaurant purchases entire cows and prepares each cut in-house. 

To cater to international guests, Halal Wagyu Yakiniku Panga Asakusa employs a multilingual staff and has an English menu to create a better and easier dining experience for all.

Head out on a three-hour bar-hopping tour of Asakusa with a local English-speaking guide and immerse yourself in Japanese drinking and food culture. 

Follow your local guide as they take you to their favorite culinary spots (a tempura restaurant and an izakaya), a local temple and a number of hidden bars as they show you more of what Asakusa has to offer. 

This tantalizing tour includes five dishes (two appetizers, tempura and two main dishes of your choice) and three drinks (sake, beer, cocktails or soft drinks).

If you have dietary restrictions, don't worry. Simply let your guide know; they will search for restaurants and bars you can enjoy. 

Note: Although this experience takes place after dinner in your Asakusa one-day itinerary, you will be eating again on this tour, so you may want to either eat dinner early or avoid this tour if you have a small appetite!

Did you choose the dinner and live music experience? If so, you won’t make it to the Asakusa bar-hopping tour in time, and can check out this bar instead!

Not Suspicious is an international-friendly bar located in Asakusa, Tokyo, where the bartenders can all speak English and love to travel and meet new people. With no cover charge and a friendly crowd, how can you resist? 

The bar serves up beer, sake, whisky, original cocktails and shots. Considered one of the best spots for nightlife in Asakusa.

This tour runs from 3 pm to 7 pm, at a time when you can experience Asakusa shift from daytime into night. On this 4-hour walking tour, you will start off by learning about the rich history of Asakusa and taking a peek into Japan’s cultural roots on an in-depth wander of the district.

Your tour will take you to some of Asakusa’s most iconic landmarks, including the Kaminarimon, Senso-ji and others. You’ll make your way through Hoppy Street, one of Asakusa’s most famous locations for eating, drinking and experiencing nightlife. The street is a drinking hub in itself, populated by rows of old-school izakaya and a nostalgic atmosphere. 

You’ll also get the chance to bar hop between three different izakaya and try a variety of Japanese alcoholic drinks. What could be better?

Asakusa is a hub of tradition, history and culture in Japan. Once a booming entertainment district during the Edo Period, Asakusa was the site of kabuki theaters and a large red light district. 

However, large parts of the district were destroyed in the air raids of 1945 during the war. And yet, destroyed buildings and landmarks like Senso-ji Temple were rebuilt and still thriving today.

For anyone interested in Japanese culture and tradition, a visit to Asakusa has a vital place on your Japan itinerary. And, if you follow this Asakusa one-day itinerary, you’ll find that all your bases have been covered and more. 

You can participate in a tea ceremony, engage with sumo, watch a live musical performance and more. Your Japan adventure starts now!

Start working your way through our list of the best things to do in Asakusa, 3-day Tokyo itinerary, 2-week Japan itinerary or get a taste for Tokyo’s best street food tours.

Asakusa is known for its historic Senso-ji Temple, vibrant Nakamise shopping street and decades of culture and history setting a foundation for tasty street food, memorable tea ceremonies and so much more.

Yes! In fact, explore our full list of Asakusa food experiences and you'll discover guided tours and cooking classes in this historic district of Tokyo.