Imado Shrine
Asakusa, Tokyo
Source: imadojinja1063.crayonsite.net, checked 7 Oct 2026.
Imado Shrine is a small shrine north of Senso-ji that claims to be the birthplace of the maneki-neko beckoning cat, and it enshrines Japan's first divine couple, which makes it a popular matchmaking spot. The cat figures here come in pairs and the ema prayer plaques are round.
More photos of Imado Shrine
Insider tip
Combine it with the 15-minute riverside walk from Senso-ji. Look for the paired cat statues and the round ema, a play on words linking circles with destiny.
What's on near Imado Shrine
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Imado Shrine, from the weekly Tokyo events calendar.
Asakusa Yabusame
浅草流鏑馬
Station Asakusa (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Line), 7 min walk
Archers in medieval hunting dress gallop along a riverside track in Sumida Park firing at wooden targets, a Taito ward revival of Edo-period mounted archery. The morning kusajishi target contest is free; the afternoon yabusame runs have ticketed seating.
Sumida River Fireworks Festival
隅田川花火大会
Time Fireworks 19:00 to 20:30 Station Asakusa (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Line), 5 to 10 min walk
Tokyo's oldest fireworks festival, dating to 1733, launches about 20,000 shells from two river sites near Asakusa on the last Saturday of July. Streets and bridges close for viewing and the crowds reach several hundred thousand, so claim a spot early or watch from Sumida Park.
Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0 Waseda-Keio Regatta (Soukei Regatta) on the Sumida River
早慶レガッタ（早慶対校競漕大会）
Time Races from about 9:30, main eight at 15:00 (2026 timetable) Station Asakusa (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Line)
Waseda and Keio row a 3,750 m course up the Sumida River from Shin-Ohashi to Sakurabashi, with the cheer squads facing off near the finish at Sakurabashi.
Sanja Matsuri
三社祭
Time Sunday mikoshi parade from about 8:00 Station Asakusa (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Line), 7 min walk
Asakusa's rowdiest weekend, when around 100 mikoshi including the shrine's three great portable shrines are carried through the neighbourhood's streets by roughly two million participants and spectators. Held the third Friday to Sunday of May.
江戸村のとくぞう, CC BY-SA 4.0 Bokutei Sakura Matsuri
墨堤さくらまつり
Time Lit nightly 18:30 to 21:00 Station Asakusa (Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line) or Asakusa (Tobu Line), 3 to 5 min walk
Cherry blossom festival on the east bank of the Sumida River, a hanami spot planted by shogun Yoshimune in the 1700s. A kilometre of trees is lit nightly from 6:30pm to 9pm, with Tokyo Skytree rising directly behind the blossoms.
Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0 Smaller local events nearby
Tokyo Leather Connect Part 2 in Oku-Asakusa Market
Sat 7 Nov · Yamayabori Park and surroundings, Oku-Asakusa
A leather-town event with workshops, a quiz rally and a paid craft rally tour in and around Yamayabori Park.
Quiz rally free; workshop prices at each booth · 10:30 to 17:00 · Map · Source: Asakusa Tourism Federation · お知らせ。 革のまちを、見て、触れて、体験する。 『東京レザーコネクト第2部 in 奥...
Daikon Festival Festival
Thu 7 Jan · Matsuchiyama Shoden, Asakusa
A temple ritual where daikon radish offered since New Year is served as furofuki daikon with sake.
Map · Source: Taito City · 大根まつり
Nearby
Around Asakusa
Old Tokyo's front door, best before the tour buses arrive
Asakusa gets dismissed as touristy, and at 2pm on a Saturday it is. Go at 7am instead. Senso-ji with incense drifting and almost nobody around is a different place entirely, and the backstreets west of the temple still feel like the shitamachi Tokyo that most of the city paved over decades ago.
Asakusa has 14 places on the Roam Tokyo map: 3 shrines and temples, 3 bathhouses, 2 viewpoints, 2 bars, 2 shops, 1 park or garden and 1 restaurant. Read the Asakusa guide.
From the blog
Good to know
- What is the address of Imado Shrine?
- 1-5-22 Imado, Taito-ku, Tokyo (in Japanese: 東京都台東区今戸1-5-22).
- How do I get to Imado Shrine?
- The nearest station is Asakusa (Ginza Line). Imado Shrine is in Asakusa, Tokyo.
- How much does Imado Shrine cost?
- Nothing. Imado Shrine is free to visit.
- How long do you need at Imado Shrine?
- Plan for 30 min.
- When is the best time to visit Imado Shrine?
- Morning, paired with an Asakusa walk.
Stay near Imado Shrine
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Median US$262 a night across 78 listings within 0.6 km for a two-night stay a month out, sampled 20 October 2026. Cheapest quarter under US$168. See the weekly index for every neighbourhood.
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