May 1, 2019, when the era name changed from Heiwa to Reiwa, is Golden Week. As it is a 10-day holiday, I think many people will come to Tokyo for sightseeing. If you are wondering what to do among the various experiences, how about trying on a kimono in Asakusa? It is the perfect experience for sightseeing in Asakusa, so this time we will introduce the reasons why we recommend sightseeing in Asakusa wearing a kimono.

Is Asakusa easy to get to?

Many people who come to Tokyo by Shinkansen may not know how to get around from there, but the most practical way to get around is by train.

Once you arrive at Tokyo Station, take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line to Ginza Station (approximately 2 minutes).

From Kanda Station, take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Asakusa Station (approximately 18 minutes).

That's all it takes. It takes about 20 minutes and costs 195 yen for IC fare. You'll arrive quickly.

Tourist spots in Asakusa

Asakusa is home to many famous sightseeing spots. Here is a brief introduction to the highlights and their explanations.

Kaminarimon

The Kaminarimon Gate has a large red lantern (weighing about 700 kg) hanging from it, making a big impact. It was once burned down, but was rebuilt at the expense of Panasonic's founder, Konosuke Matsushita.

Nakamise Shopping Street

The road that continues from Kaminarimon to Sensoji Temple. Nakamise-dori is lined with various shops, including souvenir shops and Japanese sweet shops, and is also home to many famous shops that sell kibi-dango, ningyo-yaki, senbei, and fried buns, making it perfect for eating while you're walking around. It's also great for when you get a little hungry.

Sensoji Temple

Sensoji Temple is one of Japan's leading tourist spots, attracting 30 million visitors a year. It was designated as a place of prayer by the Tokugawa Shogunate and was beloved by people as the center of faith and culture in the Edo period. Sensoji Temple is also famous for the high rate of bad fortunes it receives in its fortune slips; while the rate for ordinary shrines and temples is 10%, it is said that the rate for Sensoji is three times as high, at 30%. Even if you get an unlucky fortune, it is said that if you tie it to a designated spot within the temple grounds, your luck will skyrocket, so it might be better to aim for an unlucky fortune instead.

Tokyo Sky Tree

Tokyo Skytree, built in 2012 as the world's tallest radio tower (634 meters), is a new and well-known tourist spot in Japan. You'll be amazed at its size, which can be seen from anywhere in Asakusa. We also recommend Tokyo Solamachi, which is home to commercial facilities such as the Sumida Aquarium and the Konica Minolta Planetarium.

Why kimonos are popular in Asakusa

Asakusa is a traditional downtown area with a friendly atmosphere, but it also has stylish cafes like Yanagi Chaya and modern spots like Tokyo Skytree. Denpoin Street, lined with traditional buildings, is well paved with concrete and is flat and easy to walk on. In other words, there are many photo spots that are perfect for kimonos, and it is not difficult to move around in a kimono, so the reason why kimonos are so popular in Asakusa is that it is a place where you don't want to wear a kimono in places like hiking trails with lots of slopes.

A concentration of kimono rental shops

When you think of Japanese tourist destinations, Kyoto, Kamakura, and Asakusa come to mind. Recently, Kanazawa has also become popular since the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened. Kimono rental shops are concentrated in these Japanese tourist destinations. In Asakusa, there are nearly 50 stores. "Kimono Rental VASARA" has four stores in Asakusa alone. They handle a large number of kimonos, and are popular for their friendly and careful dressing service by professional dressing staff, so even those who have never worn a kimono can feel at ease. The fact that Asakusa has an environment where you can easily try on a kimono even on the day you arrive may be one of the reasons why more people are walking around the city in kimono.

You can find store information for Kimono Rental VASARA here.

Why not try wearing traditional Japanese clothing casually?

In recent years, the occasions when one can wear a kimono to go out have become very limited, such as furisode for coming-of-age ceremonies, hakama for graduation ceremonies, yukata for fireworks festivals, children's kimono for Shichi-Go-San ceremonies, Homongi and Tsukesage for weddings, etc. Although the number of "kimono boys" who wear kimonos on a daily basis is gradually increasing, it is still not the case that people spend their days wearing kimonos on a daily basis.

Kimono are originally treated as everyday clothing, and there are no restrictions on when or how they can be worn. As someone involved with kimono, I can't help but feel lonely when I hear "I don't have a chance to wear a kimono." However, I would like to encourage those who have never worn a kimono to feel free to try it out when they come to Asakusa for sightseeing. Experience the kimono, and if you like it, try buying one or come and rent one again. I think the culture of wearing kimono will grow if kimonos become "casual wear" for going out.

 

If you want to enjoy Asakusa in a kimono, head to VASARA!
 

VASARA Kimono Rental in Asakusa offers a variety of services to help you enjoy wearing kimono.
It's recommended for those who want to experience a higher-grade kimono rental experience, such as looking cute, mastering kimono, and using it conveniently.

In Asakusa, you can choose from our Sensoji store, Asakusa main store, or Asakusa station front store.

The Sensoji store is located just a few minutes' walk from Asakusa Station, making it a convenient base for sightseeing in Asakusa.
It is also popular with many tourists from overseas, and has been well received by many people both in Japan and overseas.

The Asakusa main store is located 0 minutes walk from Exit 6 of Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, directly opposite the McDonald's Asakusa store.
It's easily accessible from the station and also offers private rooms for dressing.
If you are unsure about what kind of kimono to wear, we can also provide coordination suggestions.

The Asakusa Ekimae store is a 20-second walk from Exit 1 of Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, across from the soba restaurant Kaminarimon Manruga, past the Family Mart.
If you would like to try on your favorite kimono and go sightseeing around Asakusa right away, it is convenient to visit our Asakusa Station store.