Asakusa Nishi-sandō Shopping Street — Local services in Tokyo

When visiting Asakusa, this is one of the shopping streets to explore. But my visit here was just before the Covid19 pandemic and according to some Japanese friends there, many of the businesses have shuttered down. I feel sad for them. One of them is Naritaya, a Halal Japanese Restaurant, serving Muslims from Malaysia and around the world.

Overall, there are quite a few interesting shops to discover in this street, one of them being a Ninja Shop! Or a traditional Japanese weapons shop, where they sell all kind of Japanese weapons. Others include ice cream, cakes and several small restaurants and clothes shops. Well worth the walk when you visit Senso-ji Temple.

Also, don't be surprised to see loads of tourists in Kimono and Yukata walking around. You can actually rent them for the day and go take lots of photos...

Some of the shops are a bit pricy (do not buy anime figures here!!), but you can find some great gifts for family here if you don't want to wander too far from Sensō-ji or go to Kitchentown. I recommend Asakusa Minatoya Liquor and Souvenir (浅草港屋) for some gifts. There are also some pretty fair deals on wall scrolls and chopticks considering that this is a tourist trap! You can also find some of Asakusa's famous...

A little bit pricey as this is close to the Senso-ji. There's Sunny Coffee Shop which opens early for you to catch breakfast and the rest of the shops should open slowly as you finish eating. It's a good spot for some souvenir shopping instead of the very crowded Nakamise-dori. We prefer this approach to the Senso-ji from the Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express line as it is quieter...