Nakamise Street links the carved wooden Kaminarimon (“Thunder”) gate at Sens?-ji Buddhist Temple to the main temple hall. The short street is lined with vendors selling both traditional and kitschy souvenirs—everything from cotton kimonos to fridge magnets. A visit to Nakamise Street is a good opportunity to taste some of Tokyo’s most popular snacks such as freshly made rice crackers or traditional sweets like ningyo yaki, a sweet cake filled with red bean paste. Some visitors opt to visit Nakamise street as part of a guided tour to find the best vendors.
Make sure you also explore the temple here. It’s Tokyo’s oldest temple, completed in the year 645 AD. The temple with its oversized lanterns and incense burner (whose smoke it is said gives a divine blessing) is one of Tokyo’s most famous sights.
Nakamise street is best enjoyed on foot. Visitors can take part in a guided tour with round-trip transport provided or head to Asakusa metro station for access to Sens?-ji temple.
The shops along Nakamise Street are open every day, usually from around 10am-6pm. Sens?-ji Temple is often busy, it’s one of the most popular tourist sites in the city. Head to the area early to avoid the crowds.
Don’t miss the chance to get your fortune at Sens?-ji Temple. Drop a 100 yen coin in the box near the main temple building to get a slip of paper telling your fortune. If you draw a less-than-favorable result, don’t worry; if you tie your paper fortune to one of the railings you’ll leave the bad luck behind when you leave.
