Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest and most visited temple — a working religious site that receives 30 million visitors a year without losing its atmospheric quality. The approach through the Kaminarimon Gate and along the Nakamise shopping street, lined with stalls selling traditional crafts, sembei, and kimonos, is one of the great urban walks in Asia.
The main hall enshrines the golden statue of Kannon (goddess of mercy). Arrive before 7am to experience it as a place of worship rather than a tourist attraction — the monks will be chanting, incense filling the courtyard, and the city around still quiet. At dusk the lanterns light up and the effect is theatrical. Take the subway to Asakusa station.