October 18, 2018 at Senso-ji Temple 11:30am, 14:00pm, and 15:30pm.

Senso-ji Temple’s honorific name is “Kinryuzan” and this means Golden Dragon Mountain. The dragon is connected to the beginnings of Tokyo’s oldest temple.

According to legend, when two brothers went out on the river to fish they found a golden statue of Kannon Bodhisattva in their net. Then a golden dragon descended from the heavens. The dance celebrates this.

If you miss the Golden Dragon Dance this October you can still see a number of dragons featured on the temple’s buildings. You can find the first one forming part of Senso-ji’s famous Kaminarimon Gate. When you enter the temple grounds through the gate look up at the huge red lantern. A dragon is carved on the bottom of the lantern. Take a closer look at the buildings and statues and you will find more dragons here.

Asakusa chrysanthemum exhibition

Chrysanthemum flowers will be on display mid-October to mid-November on the Senso-ji temple grounds.

Chrysanthemums are an important flower in Japan and associated with the emperor. In autumn we can see many types of chrysanthemum flowers at their best.

The flowers come in many shapes and colors. Some are small bushes covered with many flowers. Other types of chrysanthemum plants are grown to take on specific shapes. If you like the flowers, take a look at the shops in the small streets surrounding the temple grounds. Chrysanthemums are often used as a pattern for traditional clothing and textiles.