Asakusa (浅草) is located in Taito-ku (台東区), Tokyo. Asakusa and neighborhood areas are often called the heart of downtown Tokyo. There are many old temples in the Asakusa including Sensoji (浅草寺), the oldest temple in all of Tokyo, making it a popular are with tourists interested in old Japan. Asakusa is also one of the areas where Japanese people flock to during the New Year's holidays and festivals.
Before the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II, Asakusa was the center of the entertainment industry in Japan, offering cinemas, theater, opera, kabuki, bunraku, and even brothels and striptease acts.