lantern photo ランタンの写真 (asakusa, japan)

Posted by timothy sullivan (Tokyo, Japan) on 17 December 2008 in Lifestyle & Culture.

went to Asakusa's Sensoji Temple this past weekend just to have a look around. when i lived in asakusa, i would pass through the temple every day to and from work--the incense wafting in the calm air every morning really gave me a positive boost forward in my day. sometimes i would linger at this particular gate, gaze upward at the sculpted wood and wonder: how many people have done the same?
Sensoji's grounds recently received a complete facelift. on busy weekends in the past, all you would hear is the bustle of people and the crunch-crunch of their feet on the gravel. now, however, really nice concrete has been laid down, new trees planted, and a few benches put in so that people can have a rest while taking in the view. it actually looks like a sleek tourist destination now--instead of just the place you go and see 'cuz that's what the guidebooks recommend.
at night, though, the view remains pretty much the same: couples still come here to take photos under the lanterns, tourists still marvel at the sculpted wood, and the faintest lingering scent of incense clings to the air.

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