Nakamise Shopping Street

This guide to Nakamise Shopping Street in Tokyo traces its start back to a deal struck around the 1680s, when residents near Sensoji Temple won the right to sell to pilgrims in exchange for keeping the grounds clean. It follows the arcade through its transformation into brick shopfronts in 1885 and the disasters that struck Tokyo across the twentieth century. Look for the lanterns and green tile roofs still lining the walk between the gate and the temple.