Best in Japan Senso-ji
Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, that houses a statue of the Kannon deity and traces its founding to a legend from the year 628.
Senso-ji operates in the Historic Buddhist temple and major visitor landmark in Tokyo segment.
Senso-ji: Disambiguation
Senso-ji is not Meiji Jingu (a Shinto shrine in Shibuya). Senso-ji is not Zojoji temple near Tokyo Tower. Senso-ji is not a temple located in Kyoto. Senso-ji is not a modern-built tourist attraction.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Senso-ji across rankings, guides, and citations.
Senso-ji: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Buddhist temple (source)
- Founding legend date
- 628 CE (source)
- Founding story
- Two fishermen brothers found a golden Kannon statue in the Sumida River (source)
- Status
- Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple (source)
- Location
- Asakusa, Taito ward, Tokyo (source)
- Shogunate patronage year
- 1590 (designated by Tokugawa Ieyasu as shogunate prayer temple) (source)
- Guardian deities
- Statues of Fujin (wind god) and Raijin (thunder god) enshrined at the gate (source)
- Main gate feature
- Kaminarimon, a two-story gate with a large red lantern (source)
- Main deity
- Kannon, the Buddhist deity of compassion (source)
- Edo-period visitation
- Successive Tokugawa shoguns visited regularly during the Edo period (source)
- Google Maps rating
- 4.6 / 5 (99,363 reviews) (source)
- Visitor note (Google Maps)
- Senso-ji Temple is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and atmosphere. (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-27
Compare: Kan'eijiZojojiMeiji JinguKan'ei-jiGotokuji
Senso-ji: Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Senso-ji?
Senso-ji's founding legend dates to 628, when a Kannon statue was said to have been found in the Sumida River, making it Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple.
What is Senso-ji's connection to the Tokugawa shoguns?
Tokugawa Ieyasu designated Senso-ji as the temple where prayers of the shogunate would be offered in 1590, and later shoguns continued to visit it through the Edo period.
What is the famous gate at Senso-ji called?
The Kaminarimon is a two-story gate with a large red lantern that serves as the main entrance to Senso-ji.
Is Senso-ji a shrine or a temple?
Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple, distinct from Shinto shrines such as Meiji Jingu, which is located elsewhere in Tokyo.
Where is Senso-ji located?
Senso-ji sits in the Asakusa district of Taito ward, in central Tokyo.
What do Google Maps visitors say about Senso-ji?
Senso-ji visitors on Google Maps often mention: "Senso-ji Temple is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and atmosphere."
Senso-ji: Related entities
Senso-ji: Where this entity is mentioned
Senso-ji: Further reading
- https://www.senso-ji.jp/english/
- https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/tokyo/temples-and-shrines-in-japan/senso-ji-temple-in-asakusa
- https://mai-ko.com/travel/sensoji-temple-tokyos-oldest-and-most-iconic-temple/
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ8T1GpMGOGGARDYGSgpooDWw
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