Asakusa: 3.5-hour Big-picture History Walk including Sweets

What if one half-day walk in Asakusa could explain pretty much everything about Japanese history, beliefs, and its global connection?
This tour goes far beyond sightseeing. At every landmark, your expert guide explains not only what you're seeing, but why it matters—using each site as a gateway to Japan's history, beliefs, and global connections. By the end of the walk, you'll have a clear, big-picture understanding of how Japan evolved from a closed feudal society into the country you see today.
Here are just some examples you will get insights into while visiting each landmark.
1) The story of Japan's isolation and opening to the world.
- Why did Japan close itself?
- Why did Japan choose the Netherlands as its only trading partner when it isolated itself?
- See the sign symbolizing the country's transition from isolation to opening.
- What impact did Japan's 19th-century art have on the world, especially the French Impressionist painters?
2) Beliefs the Japanese had for over a millennium
- Two major religions in Japan. How did they complement each other?
- Why have they coexisted peacefully while sharing the same worshippers?
- How are the two religions complementing each other in people's daily lives?
3) Cultural contrast and similarity between Japan and the West
The contrasting nature and roles of dragons on both sides
Similarity in the mindset of people 1,000 years ago
4) Human nature always vacillates between the sacred and secular
- Explore the area right next to the temple, which used to be a big entertainment area before Shinjuku and Shibuya became famous
- Visit a narrow lane famous for old-style Japanese pubs embodying postwar working-class vigor and resilience.
- Feel the atmosphere of the city's hub of entertainment in the early 20th century; cinemas, vaudeville theaters, and performance halls.
5) Nostalgia and Edo-period Japan
- Stroll on a small shopping street offering a quiet, nostalgic atmosphere.
- Let's rewind to the Edo period to feel like stepping into an old movie set.