From the middle of the 1800s to WWII, the Asakusa district was the vibrant core of Tokyo's cultural activities. Outside the northeast gates of Edo (the historical name of Tokyo) and along the Sumida River, which we walked along, Asakusa was an active commerical port. At its heart was Asakusa Kannon or Senso-ji, a Buddhist temple and possibly the oldest in the region. The legend is that the temple was founded in 628 CE when two brothers fishing in the Sumida caught a statue of Kannon. Also known as Guanyin or Kuanyin, Kannon is the Japanese manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva known for unlimited compassion and staunch commitment to relieving the suffering of all beings. The village built the temple to house the brothers' catch, and today the gate to the temple, with its red lantern, is watched over by the Five-Storied Pagoda.
The Five-Storied Pagoda overlooking the Senso ji Temple Gate and nearby buildings were destroyed in WWII, but rebuilt in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The red lantern at the center of the Senso ji Temple Gate is 220 pounds and about 11 feet in diameter.