Tokyo Morning Tour: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa & Fish Market Review

Planning a visit to Tokyo? Very, very often folks get pretty overwhelmed with the sheer amount there is to do. So, that’s where a morning tour, like the “Tokyo Morning Tour: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa & Fish Market,” can seem pretty handy. Yet, before you book, it’s probably a good idea to get to know exactly what you’re signing up for. We took that tour, and so here’s my take on what you can count on.

First Stop: The Serene Meiji Shrine

The tour kind of kicked off with Meiji Shrine. Now, getting there involves, in a way, wandering down this pretty, wooded path, which, in some respects, feels just so different from the crazy city outside. Like, you can still hear cars, but yet there’s this overwhelming feeling that you’re somehow in some other place.

So, Meiji Shrine, anyway, is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, and it’s a pretty prominent spot for folks to get away from the bustle of Tokyo. What you’ll see first, usually, are huge wooden torii gates – that’s those tall archways that kind of mark the entrance to places like this. We spent a bit just looking at the scale of these gates, because it really gives you that sense of moving away from like your everyday normal right away.

Actually, after passing through, you might even come across a wall of sake barrels, each decorated so elaborately. The guide will tell you it’s basically offerings from different sake breweries. Further along, there’s this area where people write wishes on little wooden plaques, they call ’ema,’ and then hang them up. The whole thing kind of gives you this amazing peek into what really matters to folks living here.

Like, the main hall, it’s, I guess, the core of the whole shrine, really simple. It’s where people go to pay their respects. Often, there are ceremonies happening, and even though tourists are milling about, there’s just this certain air of reverence. A good guide will explain some of the rituals or customs folks are participating in, adding quite a bit to like the whole thing.

Is Meiji Shrine Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. Meiji Shrine gives you, in a way, like, just an intro to Shinto religion and like the history connected to it. The fact that it’s nestled away from like everything, in a forest, means, in some respects, you’re getting two totally different experiences at the same time. It’s pretty peaceful. Do give yourself enough clock cycles there just to kind of wander around.

Next Up: Asakusa and Sensō-ji Temple

After the calm of Meiji Shrine, the Asakusa district feels very, very different – more lively, even slightly chaotic. Asakusa is probably a good example of old Tokyo. A bit of it kind of survived after the Second World War. Sensō-ji Temple is the center of it all.

Before you actually reach the temple, usually, you wander down Nakamise-dori, which, in some respects, is like this street with rows and rows of little shops. They sell absolutely everything. You can find stuff there like snacks and, like, small souvenirs to proper Japanese crafts. So, I grabbed some treats there to give away later and looked at all the cool stuff, even if that shopping stuff isn’t usually really my thing.

Sensō-ji itself is pretty awesome. You probably won’t miss the Kaminarimon Gate. It’s basically the outside entrance, complete with this big, beefy lantern and statues. Many, many people kind of slow down here to snap pics. When you step through, you’ll enter like this courtyard with, usually, folks burning incense. The smoke, as the guides will say, is said to be healthy, so many tend to wave it about them before heading in.

The main hall is really awesome. That’s where people throw their coins and pay respects. Just look above the roof: the painting there is just outstanding. Nearby there’s also Asakusa Shrine. Apparently, that’s another popular one. The cool thing there is that the garden gives a unique view of like the whole area.

Is Asakusa too Touristy?

Actually, maybe. Asakusa has got tons of tourists. I think sometimes, very, very popular spots like that can, too it’s almost, get overrun and not enjoyable. Yet, Asakusa, in a way, gets the whole experience correct, in a way. It’s busy, true, but that street really does offer amazing glimpses into local life.

Last Location: The Fish Market

Alright, so depending on the specific tour, what happens in a fish market can sometimes change, it depends on timing and even rules. Sometimes folks end up at the outer market of Tsukiji, other times it is another market, but so I’m gonna describe generally what these involve.

Actually, the vibe here? Lively. What you can see a lot is shops selling various kinds of seafood, all prepared in various different methods. If you get there super super early, you might even see the tuna auctions, but those are rare now because they often restrict folks. So, regardless, you’ll usually find loads of food places where you can try seriously fresh sushi or seafood bowls, because what is great about places like that is that, in a way, you are getting stuff fresh and ready to eat.

Most visitors seem happy trying different dishes right then and there, wandering round and enjoying different snacks. If the tour gets there pretty late in the day, maybe quite a few places are already shut up, so what to do here depends entirely on the hours.

Fish Market Tips?

Anyway, wear comfortable shoes – very, very easy to walk a lot on this leg. Many of the shops here don’t like the whole ‘walking-while-eating’ bit, so just be respectful. Finally, bring some cash. Many places won’t be taking cards.

Should You Go? A Final Word

Actually, this Tokyo Morning Tour gives you, too it’s almost, just like a compact intro to quite a few locations, it’s almost like ticking off hotspots if you have only a short clock cycle. This could work extremely well for those like seeing many spots at a time.

Many people also see pluses if it means you do not do too much independent public transportation, because figuring out the Tokyo rail system might be hard at first. In a way, this means things feel very simple.

And yet there might be disadvantages, because rushing through just means the time at those locations are short. Do read reviews, it helps work out if this tour actually does what you might be wanting it to do.

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