Asakusa (浅草?) is a district in Taitō Ward, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. The are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo, Japan. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō Tokyo. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta Guanyin (觀音 pinyin guānyīn, Wade-Giles kuan-yin) is the Bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists There are several more temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.
Contents |
History
For most of the twentieth century, Asakusa was the major entertainment district in Tokyo. or Sanja Festival, is one of the three great Shinto Festivals in Tokyo, along with the Kanda Matsuri and Sannō Matsuri, and it is considered The golden years of Asakusa are vividly portrayed in Kawabata's novel The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa (1930; English translation, 2005). was a Japanese Short story writer and novelist whose spare lyrical subtly-shaded prose won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968 the first Japanese author The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa written by Nobel Prize -winning author Yasunari Kawabata. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In its role as a pleasure district, it has now been surpassed by Shinjuku and other colorful areas of the city. is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center housing the busiest train station in the world ( Shinjuku Station
Geography
Asakusa is on the north-east fringe of Central Tokyo, at the Eastern end of the Ginza subway line, approximately one mile east of the major Ueno railway/subway interchange. History The Ginza Line began as the brainchild of a businessman named, who visited London in 1914 saw the London Underground and concluded that Tokyo needed is a district in Tokyo 's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Station and Ueno Park. It is central to the area colloquially referred to as Shitamachi (not an official designation), which literally means "low city," referring to the low elevation of this old part of Tokyo, on the banks of the Sumida River. The traditional name for the area of Tokyo going from Taitō -ku to Chiyoda -ku and Chuō -ku the physically low part of the city next to and particularly The Sumida River (隅田川 Sumida-gawa) is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. As the name suggests, the area has a less frenetic and more traditionally Japanese atmosphere than some other neighborhoods of Tokyo.
Sightseeing and historic sites
With so many religious establishments in the area, there are frequent matsuri (Shinto festivals) in Asakusa, as each temple or shrine hosts at least one matsuri per year, if not per season. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. The largest and most popular is the Sanja Matsuri in May, in which roads are closed from dawn until late in the evening. or Sanja Festival, is one of the three great Shinto Festivals in Tokyo, along with the Kanda Matsuri and Sannō Matsuri, and it is considered
In a city where there are very few buildings older than 50 years (owing to wartime bombing), Asakusa has a greater concentration of 1950s-60s buildings than most other areas of Tokyo. There are traditional ryokan (guest-houses), homes, and small-scale apartment buildings dotted throughout the district. A is a type of Traditional Japanese Inn dating from the Edo period ( 1603 – 1868) when they served travelers along Japan's highways
In keeping with a peculiarly Tokyo tradition, Asakusa hosts a major cluster of domestic kitchenware stores on Kappabashi-dori, which is visited by many Tokyoites for essential supplies. Kappabashi-dori, also known just as Kappabashi (合羽橋 or Kitchen Town, is a street in Tokyo between Ueno and Asakusa which
Next to the Sensō-ji temple grounds is a small carnival complex with rides, booths, and games, called Hanayashiki. is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō Tokyo. The neighborhood theaters specialize in showing classic Japanese films, as many of the tourists are elderly Japanese.
Cruises down the Sumida River depart from a wharf only a five minute walk from the temple. The Sumida River (隅田川 Sumida-gawa) is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan.
Because of its colorful location, downtown credentials, and relaxed atmosphere (by Tokyo standards), Asakusa is a popular accommodation choice for budget travelers.
Asakusa is also home to one of the geisha districts in Tokyo. or are traditional female Japanese Entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance
See also
External links
- Tokyo/Asakusa travel guide from Wikitravel
- Wikitravel: Tokyo/Asakusa
- Asakusa Guide @ Picturetokyo.com Information and Gallery
- Video on Asakusa
- Asakusa photo album
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic