GUIDE TO NORTHEASTERN

YOUR GUIDE TO

#ASAKUSA #RYOGOKU

North Eastern Tokyo

Discover the allure of Asakusa and Ryogoku, areas where contrasting moments of tradition and modernity are particularly prominent.

Asakusa

NORTH EASTERN TOKYO

Ryogoku

ASAKUSA

This area on the Sumida River offers a vibrant glimpse of Japanese traditions, arts and crafts, all wrapped in a local downtown atmosphere.

WHAT TO SEE & DO Enjoy a moment of Zen at the Senso-ji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in the capital. The imposing entrance, Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate), is unmissable with its giant red lantern, and is particularly pretty at night when crowds have thinned out. After the gate, a 250-metrelong shopping avenue called Nakamise-Dori – replicating an old Edo-period downtown area – leads all the way to the temple, its sides lined with 90 small stalls selling traditional, modern and oneoff souvenirs, from kimono accessories to ninja costumes.

One of the tallest towers in the world at 634 metres, the Tokyo Skytree is located in eastern Tokyo. One of the best places to view this landmark – and get that iconic photo – is from the Asakusa side of the Sumida River.

Kappabashi, Tokyo’s famous kitchenware town, is also within walking distance of Asakusa. Most stores along this strip specialise in cooking and catering goods as well as traditional and modern hospitality items such as pots, pans and knives.

TRAVEL TIPS

• Cruise the Sumida River on the

Tokyo Water Bus ferries, which operate from Asakusa to Hamarikyu Gardens, Odaiba and Toyosu.

• Enjoy a rickshaw ride, taking in the sights with the wind in your hair.

• Kimono rental is available in

Ekimise shopping mall.

• Hanayashiki is the oldest amusement park in Tokyo, and is a short walk from the Senso-ji Temple.

RYOGOKU

Ryogoku sits on the eastern side of the Sumida River, and draws wrestling fans from around the world as the home of Japan’s national sport, sumo. Other cultural attractions abound here, from museums to arts and crafts.

WHAT TO SEE & DO Sumo enjoys a staggering 1,500-year history, with tournaments held across Japan each year – three of them in Tokyo at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena, just a one-minute walk from JR Ryogoku Station. The Sumo Tournaments in Tokyo take place in January, May and September.

Another highlight in the area is the Edo-Tokyo Museum, allowing you to journey through Tokyo’s cultural and economic development over the last 400 years through eye-opening displays. For more artistic work from the Edo period, Sumida Hokusai Museum is dedicated to the works of ukiyo-e (a Japanese genre of art that translates as ‘pictures of the floating world’) by artist Katsushika Hokusai.

Across the Sumida River, the Asakusabashi district is a hub for all manner of traditional arts and crafts – think leather, wood, glass and metal. Edo kiriko (cut glass) is one of Tokyo’s homegrown crafts, and glimpsing its production here is fascinating. The Sumida Edo Kiriko-kan has a tour of its glass factory, and you can even create your own distinctive piece of cut glass.

TRAVEL TIPS

• Try chanko-nabe, a weighty hot pot with meats and vegetables that’s popular among sumo wrestlers.

• Many of the sumo stables where wrestlers train are in this area, allowing visitors to view morning training, under strict conditions.

• Sumo tournament tickets are available a month before the actual event.

• Sumida Edo Kiriko-kan tours are only available in Japanese, and it’s recommended you take an interpreter.

OPENING SPREAD: The grand architecture of Senso-ji temple © Somchaij/Shutterstock LEFT: Sumida Edo Kiriko-kan glassware © Edo Kiriko Cooperative Association OPPOSITE: Sumo tournament © Ryan Migli/Unsplash

NORTH EASTERN TOKYO