Large Lantern In Asakusa Removed For Repair
An iconic large lantern in Tokyo's Asakusa area has been removed from a temple's main gate for the first time in seven years for repair work.
Many visitors in the area take photos in front of the lantern at the Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate, of Sensoji Temple.
On Tuesday, workers unhooked the 700-kilogram, nearly 4-meter-long lantern and put it on a truck.
The lantern has been repaired almost every 10 years since the gate was rebuilt in 1960, after a fire destroyed the old one in the mid-19th century.
The latest repair work is being done earlier than usual due to damage from last year's harsh weather and preparations for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A local resident in her 20s says the number of tourists visiting Asakusa has dropped due to the spread of the new coronavirus. She says she hopes many people will come back to see the renovated lantern.
The lantern is to be reinstalled in April after its frame and paper are replaced by workers in Kyoto, western Japan.
