If you can fight your way through the crowds A visit to the temple Sensoji is worth it. The area of Asakusa has many temples and is potentially a cheaper area to stay in than most parts of Tokyo as it has many Ryokan, which makes for a nice traditional place to stay in Japan, rather than a hotel.
Walk your way down through the markets (take note of the signs warning you of pickpockets, it really is a very busy area) towards the temple. The markets sell all your standard temple stall things, Souvineers, kimonos (of the cheaper variety of course), food (try out the mitarashi dango, little round balls on a stick covered in sweet sauce)
As you enter the temple wave the incense over your body, it is believed this will cure what ails you, if you aim it at the particular spot that has a problem.
Most of the temple was destroyed in World War two bombings, though one of the entrances at the side survived and is quite old. (right hand side if you are facing the front of the temple). If you take your shoes off (and leave them safely on the stairs with everyone elses) you can go inside the temple and have a look. It is best to be quiet though as this is the Japanese equivalent to a Church.
If you go to the tourist information place (you walk past it on your way from the river to the temple) they do free guided tours, though not very many a day so it is worth looking in advance, a guide will walk you around (in a group) for about an hour and tell you all the history, and help you out with participating in traditions! There are English-speaking guides.
Off to the side of the temple is your standard shotengai (shopping street) with no outstanding stores that i noticed. Just usual clothes, jewellery etc, tho i have heard that this is the area to buy your kitchen items!! THere is also a 100 yen store, these are in most towns but i can never pass one by, like a £1 store but a million times better (more quality, variety).
A nice way to enter into Asakusa is to get the river boat from further down the Sumida River. The wharf is not to far from the temple (about 5 minutes) and if you follow the crowds its easy to find. There is also a subway line to there, and its not very far out of the main station (this area is called downtown Tokyo)
Asakusa is also a more relaxed (as opposed to the business like or the bright lights of the rest of Tokyo), and seemingly more, traditional area of Tokyo, though there are lots of those life size cut-outs of people with their faces cut out for you to pose with!
Sorry if this is a bit vague and lacking in any real information, its been about 3 years since I went! Lonely planet Japan has all the niggling bits of information, like boat prices but you can get the subway there, its just i prefered the boat ride.
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