Travellers: Reasons to Stay Around Asakusa (or not)

On my previous visits to Tokyo, I stayed around Shin-Okubo/Shinjuku area. This time, I stayed in Asakusa for a different vibe. So, is it recommended to stay in Asakusa? And what to do around this area? Find out more here.

So, why did I pick Asakusa? One of my friend has visited Tokyo before, but one of the area that she hasn't had the chance to visit is Asakusa, and the other friend is a Japan first timer. I consider Asakusa one of the must visit place in Tokyo especially its famous landmark Sensō-ji Temple and Nakamise shopping street. And if you have Tokyo Skytree on your list, staying in Asakusa might be a good option.

Our accommodation was this place called Hotel 3000 Jyuraku. Actually Hotel 3000 Jyuraku was more a hostel than a hotel. I booked a triple room which was shown in the booking site as a small room with a bunk bed and another mattress on the floor with ensuite bathroom, but as we arrived, they upgraded our room to a three bunk beds. So we got 6 beds in total, though the room was still small, but luckily we got more space to spread our luggages and belongings.

The facilities was quite standard, but I must say that they did extra miles in their service. The building got no elevator, and they took the initiative to bring our suitcases to the room which was on the second floor. I've been staying in several hostels in Japan, and recalled that most of the time I took my own luggage over or down the stairs which was quite a hassle. The night before we checked out they also asked and noted our check out time to help us bring our suitcases down. Thumbs up!

Sensō-ji Temple is one of the ultimate reason you should stay in Asakusa. The temple and its surroundings is one of the main thing that creates a traditional and older Tokyo vibe.

Another reason to stay (or visit) around Asakusa is to experience a Jinrikisha (rickshaw) tour.

You surely cannot miss Nakamise Shopping Street while being in Asakusa, to hunt for souvenirs or maybe just to have a bite of those tempting local delights.

The street stretches from Kaminarimon to Sensoji Temple as you could see from the picture below.

Across Karinomon, you could find Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center where you could take some great shots from its rooftop (which I did).

Tokyo Skytree could easily be spotted from Asakusa area wether day or night. That tall tower in the picture below, yes that's Tokyo Skytree which I spotted from Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. It takes around 20 minutes on foot from Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center to Tokyo Skytree which could be a good afternoon activity if you stay around Asakusa while enjoying the view of Sumida River.

One of my consideration in choosing accommodation in Japan is: Wether the place is close to Don Quijote or not. Yes, you just can't leave Don Quijote out of your must visit place in any part of Japan. Don Quijote is my favorite place to buy souvenirs, snacks, and everything else in Japan. I think I love Donki too much, but hey, who doesn't?

And since they got Donki in Asakusa which is within short walking distance from our stay, I'm more than good.

Another part of my Asakusa itinerary was Fuglen. Fuglen, originated from Norway is one of the most famous coffee shop in Tokyo. I've been wanting to visit Fuglen since my previous visit but just skipped it in the end. So I was excited to find out that they had opened another branch in Asakusa. Fuglen Asakusa is located in the same building with 9 Hours - a capsule hotel chain with several branches in Japan. I've stayed in 9h Shinjuku-North before which was my first capsule hotel experience.

Visiting Fuglen might also be in your Asakusa itinerary if you love coffee or maybe just because you love the shop's atmosphere.

The downside of staying in Asakusa is - it is not that close to other popular areas in Tokyo like Shinjuku or Shibuya which is connected by JR Yamanote Line. So if you buy JR Pass you need to take another line like Tokyo Metro Ginza Line or Toei Asakusa Subway line to/from Asakusa which is not covered by the pass.

Overall I think Asakusa worth a two or three nights stay - before you move to another part of Tokyo. At the end, you need to arrange your itinerary first, then you can look for the best accommodation that compliment your itinerary.