How to get to Asakusa. Does the JR Pass cover Asakusa?

Asakusa (浅草) is one of most popular tourist places in Tokyo. There is Senso-ji, Buddhist temple. We also have some more temples and many Japanese souvenir shops.

Asakusa is known as the terminal station of Tobu Railway. Tobu Railway connects Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen. You may come to Asakusa to take Tobu Railway.

Asakusa is nice place to stay too. But if you access from downtown Tokyo, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku station, the JR pass does not cover the access to Asakusa because JR does not have a station in Asakusa. You have to take Tokyo Metro to get to Asakusa. The Metro and other subway lines are not covered by the JR Pass.

In this post, I will show you how to access to Asakusa from major stations in Tokyo by the JR Pass. If you use JR East Pass, Tokyo Wide Pass, Hokuriku Arch Pass, JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass, you can use same way.

Overview

Please see the train route map below. This map shows only major stations, transfer points and some major lines.

The JR Pass and other JR deals cover only green bold lines. But you have to take Tokyo Metro Ginza line or Toei Subway Asakusa line to get to Asakusa. Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway are not covered by the JR Pass and any other JR deals. Just try to minimize rinding subway and try to take JR trains as much as you can. It is the easiest way to save a cost for the JR Pass and other JR deals user.

The transfer points are Ueno, Kanda and Asakusabashi. Asakusabashi seems to be closer to Asakusa but it is not in Asakusa. It is still two stations away by Toei Subway.

I recommned you to take Tokyo Metro Ginza line from Kanda or Ueno. I do not recommend you to take Toei Subway Asakusa line because the location of Asakusa station of Tokyo Metro Ginza line is better than Toei Subway Asakusa line’s station. It is closer to the center of Asakusa.

From Tokyo station to Asakusa

If you stay near Tokyo station, you may follow this route. And also if you arrive in Tokyo station by the Tokaido Shinkansen from Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima and want to get Asakusa, you can use this access route too.

1. Take either Yamanote line or Keihin Tohoku line to Kanda. It is only one station away from Tokyo. It takes only a few minutes to get to Kanda from Tokyo.
2. After arrival at Kanda, exit from the north ticket gate. Don’t go to south ticket gate.
3. After exit from the north ticket gate, you will see the stairs to Tokyo Metro Ginza line Kanda station. It takes about 5 minutes to transfer at Kanda.
   The JR Pass and other JR deals cover your trip until you get to Kanda.
4. Take Tokyo Metro Ginza line train to Asakusa. Asakusa is the last station. You cannot miss it. It takes only 10 minutes from Kanda. The fare is 170 yen.

You may change trains at Ueno too. But Kanda station is much smaller than Ueno. And it is easier to change trains at Kanda. Please watch the movie below. You will know how easy it is:

If you do not use JR Pass or other JR deals

You can walk to Otemachi station of Tokyo Metro Tozai line. Otemachi station is within walking distance from Tokyo station. Take Tozai line to Nihombashi. Nihombashi is one station away from Otemachi. Transfer to Tokyo Metro Ginza line at Nihonbashi. Asakusa is the last station. It takes 25 minutes and the fare is 280 yen.

Please watch the movie below. You will know how to get to the Metro Otemachi station from JR Tokyo station:

YouTube

www.youtube.com

From Ueno station

If you stay near Ueno station, all you have to do is just hopping on Tokyo Metro Ginza line to get to Asakusa. And also if you arrive in Ueno by the Tohoku-Hokkaido Shikansen, the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the Joetsu Shinkansen, the Akita Shinkansen, the Yamagata Shinkansen and want to get to Asakusa, you may get off a train at Ueno. And you may take this route too.

1. If you arrive in Ueno by the Shinkansen, the Shinkansen platform is located underground. Take the escalator to get the ground floor.
2. Go through Shinkansen transfer gate and exit from the central gate. You will find the stairs and escalator to Tokyo Metro Ginza line on your left side.
3. Take Tokyo Metro Ginza line to Asakusa. Asakusa is the last station. You cannot miss it. It takes only 5 minutes from Kanda. The fare is 170 yen.
   The JR Pass and other JR deals cover this subway trip.

Please watch the movie below. You will know how to get to the Metro Ginza line Ueno station from JR Ueno station:

From Shinjuku station

1. Take Chuo line to Kanda. It takes 13 minutes to get to Kanda from Shinjuku.
2. After arrival at Kanda, exit from the north ticket gate. Don’t go to south ticket gate. It takes only a few minutes to get to Kanda from Tokyo.
3. After exit from the north ticket gate, you will see the stairs to Tokyo Metro Ginza line Kanda station. It takes about 5 minutes to transfer at Kanda.
   The JR Pass and other JR deals cover your trip until you get to Kanda.
4. Take Tokyo Metro Ginza line train to Asakusa. Asakusa is the last station. You cannot miss it. It takes only 10 minutes from Kanda. The fare is 170 yen.

If you do not use the JR Pass or other JR deals

There are many routes available. But Chuo line to Kanda and Tokyo Metro Ginza line route is still the best. You can get to Asakusa from Shinjuku by Tokyo Metro only. But total fare is not much difference. And there are many subway stations in Shinjuku. It is hard to find a right one. JR station is the biggest station in Shinjuku. But once you get to JR Shinjuku station, it is not hard to find Chuo line platform.

This is reason why I still recommend you to take Chuo line to Kanda and Tokyo Metro Ginza line to Asakusa.

From Shinagawa station

1. Take Yamanote line or Keihin Tohoku line to Kanda. It takes 15 minutes to get to Kanda.
2. After arrival at Kanda, exit from the north ticket gate. Don’t go to south ticket gate. It takes only a few minutes to get Kanda from Tokyo.
3. After exit from the north ticket gate, you will see the stairs to Tokyo Metro Ginza line Kanda station. It takes about 5 minutes to transfer at Kanda.
   The JR Pass and other JR deals cover your trip until you get to Kanda.
4. Take Tokyo Metro Ginza line train to Asakusa. Asakusa is the last station. You cannot miss it. It takes only 10 minutes from Kanda. The fare is 170 yen.

If you do not use JR Pass or other JR deals

You may take Keikyu Railway from Shinagawa. Most Keikyu Railway train go through Toei Subway Asakusa line. Keikyu Railway’s track and Toei Subway Asakusa line’s track are connected at Sengakuji. You can get Asakusa directly by Keikyu Railway – Toei Subway Asakusa line direct train service.

The trip time is around 20 minutes and the fare is 420 yen.

From Ikebukuro station

1. Take Yamanote line to Ueno. It takes 17 minutes to get to Ueno.
   The JR Pass and JR deals cover your trip untlil you get to Ueno.
2. After arrival at Ueno, exit from the central ticket gate. Don’t go to south ticket gate. It takes only a few minutes to get to Kanda from Tokyo.
3. After exit from north ticket gate, you will see the stairs to Tokyo Metro Ginza line Kanda station. It takes about 5 minutes to transfer at Kanda.
   JR Pass and other JR deals cover your trip until you get Kanda.
4. Take Tokyo Metro Ginza line train to Asakusa. Asakusa is the last station. You cannot miss it. It takes only 10 minutes from Kanda. The fare is 170 yen.

If you do not use the JR Pass or other JR deals

The above route Yamanote line and Tokyo Metro Ginza line via Ueno is still the best one. The fare for Yamanote line from Ikebukuro to Ueno is 170 yen.

For more information about the train network in downtown Tokyo

Please also refer the post below to learn more about the train system in downtown Tokyo.

Guide to take trains in Tokyo. How to choose the best deal and the best route by the train.

There are so many train lines and subway lines in downtown Tokyo. It is hard to find the route and the coverage of many deals. This guide shows you the train system, how to find the route and how to choose the deals.

jprail.com

2016.01.24

I hope this post helped you to get to Asakusa more smoothly.