Sensoji temple in Asakusa is the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. It was built in 628. Many people believe in the power of the Asakusa Kannon bodhisattva to bestow worldly benefits. Every year, around 3 million people visit and pray to her. The area around the temple was a flourishing cultural centre during the Edo period (1603-1868). The great paper lanterns at the Kaminari gate (‘thunder gate’) are a reminder of this period and are famous across Japan. The Nakamise shopping street that leads from the Kaminari gate to the temple is lined with shops that sell souvenirs and Japanese sweets.

Photograph provided by Tokyo Convention＆Visitors Bureau