Tokyo Shitamachi Tour: The Winter Lights in Asakusa and Oshiage 2022

Tokyo Shitamachi Guide’s “Tokyo Shitamachi Tour” category recommends where to visit for sightseeing in Tokyo’s Shitamachi area (the area along and east of the Sumida River). We select a different theme each time and propose a model course of casual self-guided tours.

If you plan to visit Tokyo, the Tokyo Shitamachi Tour is exactly for you. It will help you to find where to go in the Shitamachi area of Tokyo.

The theme for this time is the Christmas illuminations and winter lights in the Asa-Oshi area. The Asa-Oshi area is a relatively new word that combines the Asakusa and Oshiage areas. This name may become popular in the future.

For your information, the Asakusa area is where Sensoji Temple is located, and the Oshiage area is where Tokyo Skytree is located. Both Sensoji Temple and Tokyo Skytree are very popular sightseeing destinations.

The estimated walking time will be about an hour. We will enjoy the illuminations and lights while walking from Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree. So we recommend that you start this self-guided tour after 6 p.m. But you shouldn’t go too late for your safety.

This blog post will cover the winter lights in the Asakusa and Oshiage areas and how to get there. Please read through it as a reference when planning your self-guided tour in Tokyo.

We hope this blog post will help you somewhat when you visit Tokyo for sightseeing. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us through the contact form.

This blog post is also available in Japanese. You can refer to it at the following link:

Tokyo Shitamachi Tour: The Winter Lights in Asakusa and Oshiage 2022 (日本語)

Tour Overview

Through this Tokyo Shitamachi Tour, we will visit the Christmas illuminations and winter lights in the Asakusa and Oshiage areas.

Recommended For

This self-guided tour is ideal if you are any of the following:

I want to visit sites other than Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa area;
I want to enjoy the Christmas illuminations and winter lights.
etc.

Duration

Duration: Appoximately an hour

Departure & Return

Departure point: Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line (Exit #1)
Return point: Oshiage Station on the Asakusa Line, the Keisei Line, the Tobu Isesaki Line, or the Hanzomon Line (Exit B3)

Itinerary

Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line
Kaminarimon Gate of Sensoji Temple
Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street
Hozomon Gate of Sensoji Temple
Sensoji Temple
The Azuma-Bashi Bridge
Sumida River Terrace
Sumida River Walk
TOKYO mizumachi
Ushijima Shrine
Koume-Ushijima-Dori Street
Tokyo Skytree
Oshiage Station on the Asakusa Line, the Keisei Line, the Tobu Isesaki Line, or the Hanzomon Line (Exit B3)

Restrooms

Asakusa Station
Oshiage Station
Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Shopping Street
Sensoji Temple
The Azuma-Bashi Bridge (Taito Ward side)
Sumida Park (Sumida Ward side)
Sumida River Walk (Sumida Ward side)
Koume-Jido Park
etc.

Tour Details

Basic Infomation (The Winter Lights in the Asakusa and Oshiage Areas)

Lightings at Sensoji Temple

Sensoji Temple’s lightings are available all year. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: sunset
End time: 11 p.m.

The above times are subject to change. For example, Sensoji Temple provided the lights until 4 a.m. during the Tokyo Olympics. When the Tokyo Metropolitan Government declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19, the temple turned out its lights at 8 p.m.

For more information, please refer to Sensoji Temple’s official site, “Notice about our lighings (日本語).”

Lightings at Asahi Beer Headquarter Building

Lightings at the Asahi Beer Headquarter Building are basically available all year. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: sunset
End time: 10:30 p.m.

The above times are subject to change. For example, Asahi Beer canceled its lightings when the Tokyo Metropolitan Government requested to conserve power.

Lightings at the Azuma-Bashi Bridge

Lightings at bridges across the Sumida River, including the Azuma-Bashi Bridge, are available all year. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: 15 minutes after sunset
End time: 11 p.m.

For more information, please refer to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Construction’s official website, “Lightings at bridges over the Sumida River (日本語).”

Illuminations at Ushijima Shrine

Ushijima Shrine will offer the winter illuminations for a limited time from Thursday, November 10, 2022, to Wednesday, February 15, 2023. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: 4 p.m.
End time: 10 p.m.

For more information, please refer to Sumida Tourism Association’s official web site, “The East Tokyo Light Festival: Where Tradition Meets Innovation (日本語).”

Lightings at Tokyo Skytree

Lightings at Tokyo Skytree are available all year. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: 4:30 p.m.
End time: 12 p.m.

For more information, please refer to Tokyo Skytree’s official web site, “Lightings Information (日本語).”

The Christmas Illuminations at Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo Skytree will offer the winter illuminations for a limited time from Thursday, November 10, 2022, to Sunday, December 25, 2022. You can enjoy them at the following times:

Start time: 4 p.m.
End time: 10 p.m.

For more information, please refer to Tokyo Skytree’s official web site, “Tokyo Skytree Town’s Dream Christmas 2022 (日本語).”

Route Details

Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line (Exit #1)

Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line (Taito, Tokyo)

The departure point for this time is the #1 exit of Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line. We chose this point because this is the nearest train exit to Kaminarimon Gate of Sensoji Temple. Also, this exit has an elevator, so it’s convenient for elderly people.

The street on the right side of the photo above is Kaminarimon-Dori Street. Go right on this street, and you will reach Kaminarimon Gate of Sensoji Temple shortly.

Kaminarimon Gate at Sensoji Temple

Kaminarimon Gate (the Gate of Thunder) is the first main gate of Sensoji Temple. The official name of this gate is Furaimon Gate (the Gate of the Wind God and the Thunder God). In the photo above, you will find the Wind God on the right and the Thunder God on the left of the gate.

Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street

After passing through Kaminarimon Gate, Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street will welcome you, continuing for about 250 meters. Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street is a shopping street that sells typical souvenirs for tourists.

Most shops close by 6 p.m. on Asakusa Nakamise-Dori Street. The shutters of each shop are painted with murals called “Asakusa Emaki” (the picture scrolls of Asakusa). Seeing these murals at night is one of the pleasures of the Asakusa area.

Denboin-Dori Street

Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street intersects with Denboin-Dori Street on the way. Denboin-Dori Street is also one of the photogenic places in the Asakusa area.

Along Denboin-Dori Street, you can also enjoy Asakusa Emaki on shutters as well as street lights called “Jiguchi Andon” (Jiguchi lanterns). Jiguchi is a word game popular in the Edo period.

Hozomon Gate at Sensoji Temple

After passing through Asakusa-Nakamise-Dori Street, you will arrive at Sensoji Temple’s Hozomon Gate. Hozomon Gate is the second main gate of Sensoji Temple.

The statues of Nio, the Guardian God of Buddhism, are enshrined on the left and right sides of Hozomon Gate. For this reason, this gate used to be called Niomon Gate (the Gate of Nio). In the photo above, you should see a statue of Nio on the far left.

Sensoji Temple

After passing through Hozomon Gate, you will arrive at the precincts of Sensoji Temple. Here, there are so many must-sees in the precincts, including Kannondo Hall (the main hall), the five-storied pagoda, Yakushido Hall (the hall of Medicine Buddha), etc.

After enjoying lightings in the precincts of Sensoji Temple, return to Kaminarimon Gate. Then walk along Kaminarimon-Dori Street toward Tokyo Skytree.

The Azuma-Bashi Bridge

If you walk along Kaminarimon-Dori Street for 5 minutes from Kaminarimon Gate, you will arrive at the Azuma-Bashi Bridge. This bridge is over the Sumida River that connects Taito Ward and Sumida Ward.

From the Taito Ward side of the Azuma-Bashi Bridge, you can take pictures of Tokyo Skytree, the Asahi Beer Headquarter Building, the Asahi Flame, and the Sumida Ward Office.

Take the stairs next to the Azuma-Bashi Bridge down to Sumida River Terrace. Sumida River Terrace is a promenade on both sides of the Sumida River.

Sumida River Terrace

Walk along Sumida River Terrace from the Azuma-Bashi Bridge toward upstream. Here, you can enjoy Tokyo Skytree reflected in the Sumida River.

The photo above shows Tokyo Skytree, a houseboat, Sumida River Walk Bridge, and a train on the Tobu Isesaki Line.

Sumida River Walk

Sumida River Walk is a promenade that runs under the tracks of the Tobu Isesaki Line (a.k.a. Tobu Skytree Line). If you want to go to Sumida Park (the Sumida Ward side) from the Asakusa area, this bridge is very convenient.

To get to Sumida River Walk from Sumida River Terrace, follow the directions below:

Pass under the Sumida River Walk.
There are stairs on the left; climb them.
Continue on your way.

TOKYO mizumachi

After crossing Sumida River Walk, you will see Sumida Park (the Sumida Ward side) in front of you. TOKTO mizumachi is a commercial facility located in Sumida Park (the Sumida Ward side). If you see the park from the exit of Sumida River Walk, TOKTO mizumachi is on the right.

Ushijima Shrine

If you see the park from the exit of Sumida River Walk, Ushijima Shrine is located on the far left. This Shinto shrine started the winter lights in 2022. Here, you can enjoy bamboo lightings called Take-Akari.

For more information about the winter lights at Ushijima Shrine, please refer to the following blog post:

Koume-Ushijima-Dori Street

Koume-Ushijima-Dori Street is an alley that continues from Sumida Park to Tokyo Skytree. You can always see Tokyo Skytree in front of you from this alley. Also, there is almost no traffic, so it’s relatively easy to take pictures of Tokyo Skytree.

After passing through Koume-Ushijima-Dori Street, you will arrive at Tokyo-Skytree-Station-North Intersection. Cross the pedestrian crossing at this intersection and you will arrive at Tokyo Skytree.