Asakusa

The closest you're going to get to what first-timers think they'll find in Tokyo is Asakusa, the closest thing to old Edo, with its quaint shops and buildings, rickshaws, and shopping streets. I saved it for my last few days in Tokyo because I figured I might need a respite from the neon of Shibuya and Shinjuku or the wonderfully crisp pages of a book on international arbitration. Of course, when I finally did visit Asakusa, I was not disappointed. Along with visiting the temples, we feasted on one of my favorite Japanese foods, anmitsu, which is a delicious dessert of agar jelly, fruit, azuki beans, mochi, and sweet black syrup. Chocolate-loving Americans are often critical of Japanese desserts (though the puddings are wonderful), but anmitsu is a delight, trust me.

Asakusa's highlight is Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon), Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple. While it is packed with tourists, it is still quite a sight to behold, especially coupled with some browsing in the stationery and kimono shops and some tasty treats from the street vendors.

The Hozomon main gate to Asakusa Kannon

Old Tokyo buildings in Asakusa

Another view of Asakusa Kannon

Vendors in Asakusa sell candy apples, candy grapes, candy strawberries...
They tend to give you a perfectly pink smile, like so.

One of the packed shopping streets

A pagoda at the complex and the famous lantern at the Kaminarimon, the outer gate to Sensoji