Senso-ji Temple wheelchair accessibility

Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple founded in 645 AD and dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. The temple sits in the Asakusa district on the east side of central Tokyo and forms the centrepiece of the most traditional shopping and dining area in the city. The precinct is anchored by the Kaminarimon gate, Nakamise-dori shopping street, the Hozomon inner gate, the five-storey pagoda, and the main hall (the Kannon-do).

For wheelchair users the temple is one of the easier major Tokyo sights. The approach from Kaminarimon is flat and paved, the Tokyo tourism office records a ramp and an elevator on the precinct, and the multi-purpose toilet is on site. The main hall has a flight of stairs at the principal worship route; a side ramp gives wheelchair visitors access to the inner viewing area.

Enter through the Kaminarimon gate at the south end of the precinct. The gate itself is step-free under the great red lantern, and the path through Nakamise-dori behind it is paved and largely level for the 250 metres to the Hozomon inner gate.

If you are arriving from the Tokyo Metro Ginza line at Asakusa Station, take exit 1, which puts you at street level directly opposite the Kaminarimon. The Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre across the road has accessible toilets and an upper viewing terrace served by a lift.

The Kaminarimon is the headline. The 3.9-metre red lantern hangs in the centre of the gate with statues of the Thunder God (Raijin) and the Wind God (Fujin) at either side. Nakamise-dori behind the gate runs 250 metres to the Hozomon inner gate with around 90 shops selling traditional snacks, fans, and small souvenirs.

The Hozomon is the second great gate, with an enormous straw sandal (waraji) on each side. The five-storey pagoda stands to the west of the main hall. The main hall (Kannon-do) is at the far end of the precinct; the principal worship route uses a flight of stairs to the inner hall, with a side ramp for wheelchair visitors.

Beyond the precinct, the Asakusa shrine sits to the east of the main hall in its own small grove. The whole precinct is at street level and can be navigated step-free across most of its length.

A multi-purpose toilet is on the precinct itself, as recorded by the Tokyo tourism office. Additional accessible toilets are inside the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre directly across from the Kaminarimon, which also has a small museum and a viewing terrace reached by a lift.

Plan rest stops at the small benches along Nakamise-dori and at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre, which has a café on the eighth floor with a step-free entrance.

Subway: Tokyo Metro Ginza line, Toei Asakusa line, both at Asakusa Station with lift access. Exit 1 of the Ginza line puts you directly opposite the Kaminarimon.

Other rail: Tobu Skytree line and Tsukuba Express both serve Asakusa with lifts.

River bus: Tokyo Cruise water bus stops at the Asakusa pier on the Sumida River, a short step-free walk from the precinct.

Accessible taxi: arrange a drop at the south end of Kaminarimon-dori. The precinct is fully pedestrianised so the cab cannot enter Nakamise-dori itself.

Go early. Senso-ji is Tokyo's most-visited temple and Nakamise-dori gets dense by mid-morning. Before 09:00 the street is calm and the chair has space to manoeuvre.

Plan a two-stop trip with the Tokyo Skytree. The Skytree is one Tobu Skytree line stop east of Asakusa with a step-free interchange. Combined they make an easy half-day.

Check the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre on the way in. The viewing terrace on the eighth floor frames the precinct and the Sumida River, and the building has accessible toilets a short ramp from the Kaminarimon.

Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo. Visitor entrance: Kaminarimon gate at the south end of the precinct. Opening hours: main hall open from 6:00 April to September and 6:30 October to March; the precinct is open at all hours. Admission: free for every visitor. Time to allow: 90 minutes for the precinct, 2 to 3 hours including Nakamise-dori shopping and the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre.

The Tokyo Skytree is the obvious pairing on the same Tobu Skytree line. Beyond Skytree, the Sumida River cruise from the Asakusa pier connects step-free to Hama-rikyu Gardens and Odaiba. The Imperial Palace East Gardens are a 15-minute step-free metro ride west on the Ginza line.