Our first stop is the Sensoji, which is also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. Senso-ji was, according to legend, founded with the enshrining of a statue of the Kannon-Bosatsu (goddess of mercy) caught in the net of a fisherman on the Sumida-gawa in the spring of 628. Members of the shogunate, based in Kamakura in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture in the latter half of the 12th century, were devout worshippers here. The temple retained official support under the Tokugawa shogunate which took power in the 17th century in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Most of the buildings were destroyed by fire during air raids in World War II. Subsequent donations by people from all over the country. however, made it possible to reconstruct the Kannon-do, the Kaminari-mon (the main front gate) and other parts of the temple complex. Today, Senso-ji attracts many visitors from all over Japan and abroad as one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Tokyo. Nearby is another popular attraction -- the shrine Asakusa-jinja. The Sanja Matsuri ("Festival of Three Shrines"), held in May every year is known as one of the major festivals of Edo. As with the majority of visitors to the temple, we entered via Kaminarimon (or Thunder gate). Kaminarimon was originally built by Taira no Kinmasa in 942, but in a different location. During the Kamakura period (1192-1333) it was moved to its current location. As we walked through the gate, we pass between the two gods of Fujin (the God of Wind) and Raijin (the God of Thunder) and under the great red lantern which has the kanji, "Thunder Gate" written on it. This is probably one of the most popular photo spots in the area and this place is packed with people passing into the temple, taking photos, going shopping, meeting other people or getting a ride on one of the many rikshaws waiting at the entrance for tourists. A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. Besides typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area are sold along the Nakamise. This shopping street has a history of several centuries and we highly recommend trying out some local traditional japanese snacks there.
Odaiba was born from reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay in the southeastern part of Tokyo. It attracts mostly young people as a new amusement spot in the city. The name Odaiba means a "platform site." It derives its name from the installation of a platform for a marine cannon battery that was constructed in haste to meet the sudden need for the defense of Tokyo (called Edo at that time) after the unexpected appearance of the black steel ships from the United States in 1853 commanded by Commodore Perry. The center of Odaiba is Aquacity Odaiba. It includes a shopping mall with a 300-meter-long boutique street, a multi-flex cinema that employs the latest acoustic and screen technologies, and a gourmet zone that stretches over 15,000 square meters. Major attractions of Odaiba are dotted along the Yurikamome Line, a new unmanned traffic system that crosses Rainbow Bridge to connect Shimbashi Station with Odaiba. Attractions include the Odaiba Seaside Park that overlooks Rainbow Bridge, Fuji TV headquarters and studios where visitors can see the sets of popular TV programs, and Palette Town, a "theme park for women" with an interior modeled after a European city in the 18th century, and which accommodates over 150 shops. The most interesting one is the Statue of Liberty. The French Statue of Liberty came to Odaiba Japan since April 1998 until May 1999 in commemoration of "The French year in Japan". Because of its popularity, in 2000, a replica of the French Statue of Liberty was erected at the same place.
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