ASAKUSA, Taito City — In a place like Tokyo, where there is no shortage of historic and amazing sites to see, tour guide Masaharu Nozawa said there’s one place he takes everyone.
"This is probably the most visited spot and the most popular place in Tokyo for the tour guide,” Nozawa said.
It's called Asakusa. It's the oldest section of Tokyo, and tourists gather to see impressive Buddhist temples and the area's famous giant red lanterns.
The lanterns are made entirely of paper, but each one weighs several tons (or around 7,000 pounds). Under each one, you’ll see people posing or trying to touch them for good luck.
“[People get] good luck from the paper lantern by posing as if they are protecting the heavy paper lantern,” Nozawa said.
It’s become a tradition in Tokyo that’s survived centuries and World War II, when nearly half of Asakusa was destroyed by bombings.
Since then, the area has been rebuilt and those three-ton lanterns are as bright as ever and a must see stop on any trip to Tokyo.
> 9NEWS Reporter Matt Renoux visited Tokyo before the COVID-19 pandemic to preview the 2020 Olympic games. This is one of his stories taking a look at the attractions in the city. For all of our Olympics coverage, visit www.9news.com/olympics.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Mile High Mornings