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Sensoji Temple: Asakusa
Phone: 03-3842-0181
Asakusa / Temple
Average visit time: 20-40 minutes
Dating back to A.D. 628, this is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple and also its most popular.
Leading from the main gate is a long pedestrian walk lined with nearly 100 bustling little stands selling souvenirs and crafts. This is one of the rare places in Tokyo where you can find actual street food, including red-bean-paste cakes and sembei rice crackers that are made as you watch.
The temple's main structures, including the picturesque five-story pagoda, are lit up every night from sunset to around 11pm. The lighting design was the work of Motoko Ishii, who also designed the lighting for the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower.
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