Every tourist in Tokyo seems to gravitate towards Asakusa, where the grand old temple Senso-ji is still very much a common destination for the local people. When approaching Senso-ji from the Asakusa subway stations, enter through Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) between the scowling protective deities: Fujin, the god of wind, and Raijin, the god of thunder. Near Kaminarimon, you may be wooed by rickshaw drivers in traditional dress, who will offer to cart you around the temple and neighbourhood, giving you the scoop on its architecture and history.
 

Sensoji's Kaminarimon

Straight on through the gate is Nakamise-dori, a busy pedestrian shopping street set within the actual temple precinct. Everything from tourist trinkets to genuine Edo-style crafts are sold here. When you're done exploring Senso-ji, the tourist information office in Asakusa has a brochure which details a suggested walking tour and plots the location of several of the district's temples and shrines.

In May,  Tokyo's largest festival Sanja Matsuri attracts up to 2 million spectators. The main event is a procession known as Daigyoretsu, when traditional performers and musicians parade through the streets, while on the next two days portable shrines (mikoshi) are carried to and from the temple for purification.

Getting There: Asakusa is the terminus of the Metro Ginza line (G19), which is the best way to get into the area, perhaps by connecting from the Yamanote line at Ueno. Other options are to take the eponymous Toei Asakusa line(A18), which carves a path through eastern and southern Tokyo, or by taking the Toei Oedo Line to the Kuramae Station(E11).