Asakusa

    From the 11th year of Meiji(1878) to the 22nd year of Showa(1947) Asakusa was the name of this area.  There are various opinions about the origin of the name of Asakusa.  Some say it originates from the Ainu word "Atsuakusa" (means to go across the ocean) and the others say it originates from the Tibetan word "Arsha-kusha" (means the place for a saint).  The widely accepted opinion is described in "The Illustration of Edo In The Old Times" as follows:  "The area from Shitaya to around here is the end of the Musashino Plain and the grass in this area is short.  So, this area was called Asakusa (asa means short and kusa means grass)."  The area of the shrines is a must see for everyone.  One of the main sights is the Sensoji Temple.  It was founded by two brothers fishing in the Sumida River on an early morning of March 18, 628.  They recovered their net to find a Buddhist statue entangled within.  They took it to their village and it was identified as Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.  The men became strong believers and this is what became Sensoji Temple.  The temple became more and more popular through the Kamakura and Tokugawa periods and is now a place for anyone to visit.  It is commonly referred to as Asakusa Kannon.  As you enter the gates you will also notice what is called the Kaminarimon, or gate of thunder.  You may notice that there is an interesting image like a swastika that is called a manji.  It isn't a swastika but a very old symbol meaning balance and harmony in nature and all living things.