When people say “the gate at Asakusa,” they usually mean Kaminarimon – the Thunder Gate.
Kaminarimon (雷門) – the Thunder Gate is the outer gate on the main street, with the huge red lantern that says “雷門.”
• Its formal name is Fūjin Raijin-mon – “Gate of the Wind God and Thunder God.”
• On one side is Raijin, god of thunder; on the other is Fūjin, god of wind – both there to protect the temple from storms, floods, and fires.
• The first Kaminarimon was built in 941, but the one standing now is from 1960, rebuilt after a fire with donations from the founder of Panasonic.
The giant lantern 🏮 is almost a character in its own right – nearly four meters tall and weighing hundreds of kilos. During big festivals, they actually fold it up so mikoshi (portable shrines) can pass under it.
29nov25
