The first thing that hits you in Asakusa isn’t the giant red lantern hanging over Kaminarimon Gate. It’s the smell. Grilled meat, sizzling batter, sweet red bean paste, all mixing together in the air before you’ve even made it past the entrance. And that smell pulls you straight down Nakamise Street, past ninety-something shops that have been doing this exact thing since the 1700s. So here’s the honest truth: you could spend an entire day in Asakusa without setting foot in a restaurant. Between the temple approach, Hoppy Street, and the side alleys packed with tiny stalls, this neighborhood basically runs on street food. But there are a few local […]