Hidden Experiences in Asakusa: Trying Goldfish Scooping at Asakusa Kingyo
Asakusa is often associated with visiting the main hall, drawing omikuji fortunes, and enjoying street food along Nakamise Street.
But I’ve always felt that there must be many interesting places just a little off the main tourist routes.
So this time, I decided to look into some “interesting,” “fun,” and “worth-trying” spots in Asakusa that are slightly away from the main areas.
This article also serves as a personal memo for my next visit to Asakusa
(I originally planned to go sometime this week, but plans came up, so it looks like it’ll have to be next week instead).
Asakusa Kingyo
Near the entrance of the Asakusa Temple West Sando Shopping Street, there is a place called Asakusa Kingyo, where you can try goldfish scooping and also buy goldfish-themed goods.
When I think of goldfish scooping, I usually imagine festival stalls and summer events—it has always felt like a seasonal activity to me.
That’s why I found it really appealing that you can experience goldfish scooping here all year round, regardless of the season.
For 400 yen, the shop provides two paper scoops called poi, similar to traditional Japanese paper scoops.
If you want to enjoy the game without taking any goldfish home, they will give you a more durable type of scoop that doesn’t tear easily.
For people who want to try goldfish scooping but can’t take the fish home, this option sounds perfect.
Of course, taking goldfish home is also allowed—up to five fish can be taken with you.
There are many different kinds of goldfish, and they even prepare special scoops for children, making it an activity that people of all ages can enjoy.
For photo lovers, another nice touch is that the containers used to hold the scooped goldfish are wooden buckets made from hinoki (Japanese cypress), which makes photos look especially charming and very “Japanese.”
You can really feel Japan’s unique sense of omotenashi (hospitality) in the attention to detail.
Even though the official website is quite simple, the place itself seems full of character and charm.
A Small Side Note
A few years ago, my child once tried goldfish scooping at a large event and brought home about four fish.
Of course, you can’t keep them in the small plastic bag forever, so we ended up buying a fish tank, a pump, gravel, food, and doing regular cleaning—it turned out to be quite a lot of work.
Children often beg to take the goldfish home, but in the end, it’s usually the parents who end up taking care of them…
