Sensoji

東京都

Tokyo's oldest temple — the Kannon sanctuary of Kaminarimon and Nakamise

Founded

645

Type

Temple

Visited

Want to go

Access

5 min walk from Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station

2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito

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Info

Temple

Founded 645

1381 years

Enshrined Deity

聖観世音菩薩

Founder

Shokai Shonin (tradition)

Buddhist Sect

Shokannon

Overview

The oldest temple in Tokyo. Famous for Kaminarimon and Nakamise. A landmark tourist destination with about 30 million visitors annually.

Origins

Founded in 628 when fishermen brothers netted a Kannon statue from the Sumida River. In 645, the priest Shokai designated the statue a hidden Buddha. Tokugawa Ieyasu designated it a prayer temple, and it prospered under Tokugawa patronage. The main hall and pagoda burned in the 1945 air raids and we…

Pilgrimage Circuit

A pilgrimage of 33 Kannon temples — an ancient circuit winding through the historic temples of the entire Kantō region

Bandō 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

Principal Buddha

Shō Kannon

聖

About Shō Kannon

Wooden seated Sho Kannon (Kanzeonji, Fukuoka)

Sho Kannon (Aryāvalokiteśvara): the original single-faced, two-armed form — the root from which all 33 manifestations emerge.

Kannon Forms · Seven Kannon

聖

Shō

十

Jūichimen

千

Senju

如

Nyoirin

馬

Batō

准

Juntei

不

Fukūkenjaku

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句
Haiku Composed Here
— 1

観音のいらか見やりつ花の雲

Matsuo Bashō 1690年

Seasonal word

花の雲（春）

元禄三年、深川の芭蕉庵にて。隅田川越しに浅草寺の甍を望む。

桜の花雲の彼方に浅草寺観音堂の甍が見える、という春の江戸の景観を詠んだ芭蕉の代表句の一つ。下町の春を象徴する一句として親しまれる。

Divine Benefits

Business Prosperity

Healing & Longevity

Warding Off Evil

Flourishing trade, new-shop openings, successful deals. A central prayer at Inari and Ebisu shrines.

祭
Festivals & Events
— 12

7月

Sensoji Hozuki Ichi (Ground Cherry Fair)

This month

A ground cherry market held on a special day when visiting Sensoji is said to grant blessings equivalent to 46,000 days. About 120 stalls sell ground cherries, and the sound of wind chimes creates a wonderful summer atmosphere.

もっと詳しく · 11

記
Related Articles
— 33

記

Seven Temples for Ritual Cremation of Haunted Photos, Old Dolls, and Spent Omamori

Haunted photographs, old dolls, and spent omamori that cannot simply be thrown away can be ritually cremated at Japanese temples through otakiage. A practical guide to seven major temples — Sensoji, Nishiarai Daishi, Kawasaki Daishi, Naritasan, Tokorozawa Shinmeisha, Takao Yakuoin, and Shitennoji — covering mail-in services, typical offering amounts, and visiting etiquette.

manners

›

記

Setsubun — Bean Throwing, Eho-maki, and Tsuina Rites: Complete Guide to Japan's Evil-Banishing Eve

Setsubun (around February 3) is a seasonal purification rite performed on the eve of Risshun (the first day of spring). This guide covers the origins of bean-throwing, eho-maki rolls, and the tsuina (demon-expelling) ceremonies held at major temples and shrines nationwide.

seasonal

›

記

Obon — Japan's Festival of Ancestors: Welcoming Fires, Spirit Boats, and Bon Odori Dance

Obon is Japan's Buddhist festival of ancestors, observed in July or August when ancestral spirits are believed to return to the living world. Welcoming fires, spirit boats, bon odori dances, and farewell fires mark the week. This guide explains the July/August regional split, the role of major temples including Sensoji, Sojiji, Eiheiji, Todaiji, and Zojoji.

seasonal

›

もっと詳しく · 30

史
Related Historical Events
— 1

1945

Bombing of Tokyo

On March 10, 1945, approximately 300 B-29 bombers firebombed downtown Tokyo, killing about 100,000 people and leaving 1 million homeless in a single night — one of the most destructive air raids in history. The May 25 raid devastated the Yamanote area including Shinjuku and Kagurazaka, destroying shrines like Kagurazaka Wakamiya Hachiman. Tokyo rose from the ashes in a remarkable postwar reconstruction.

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Visiting Information

Hours

The Main Hall is open 6:00–17:00 (opening at 6:30 Oct–Mar). Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise, and temple grounds are accessible 24 hours.

Admission

Visiting the grounds and Main Hall is free. Special exhibitions may require a separate fee.

As of 2026-07-17. Subject to change.

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