Asakusa’s Owl & Parakeet Cafe

"This is fun," I said to the girl working at the cafe, raising my voice to be heard above the squawking. "But it would never be allowed in America!" She looked at me, baffled, and asked why not. At this moment, there were six parakeets on my head, and bird poop was running down my shoulder. Something was pecking at my neck and, in the next room, people were petting an eagle. I considered explaining, but decided against it. Regarding animal cafes, the rift between our cultures might be too wide.

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Asakusa Amusements

Its reputation as the pleasure center of Tokyo has long since faded, the Kabuki theaters have relocated and geishas mostly vanished, but the northeastern neighborhood of Asakusa still boasts a few worthwhile attractions apart from the temple of Sensō-ji.

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Sensō-ji Temple

Tokyo's oldest temple is the Sensō-ji, constructed in the year 645. Like almost everything else in this city plagued by earthquakes and fire, it's been rebuilt multiple times, but has always been an important place of worship.

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