MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Positioned precisely in the center of Tokyo's neon-bathed shopping districts and swarming business centers, a quiet little pavilion flourishes like the peaceful eye of a storm as a tribute to Japan's cultural heritage.Asakusa is the heart of old-town Tokyo - a temple and shopping center surviving since the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. It's three main attractions are Sensoji Temple, the Five Storied Pagoda and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade."The wooden buildings attract more than tourists," said Yoko Seo, Station cultural adaptation specialist. "People come to pray for their ancestors and to experience the real Buddhist meaning of the temple."According to the Tokyo Essentials Web site, Sensoji is the oldest temple in Tokyo, first built in the seventh century and dedicated to the Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon. The temple can be found in the center of the district. As visitors enter the main Kaminarimon Gate, the God of wind towers regally on the right, and the God of thunder poses fiercely on the left. "If you go to Tokyo you will usually find trendy, high-tech places," said Seo. "But Sensoji has a different atmosphere. It shows the old way that people lived. If you look around the area, you will see a lot of people who live in the more traditional Japanese way of life." A fascinating place to witness that tradition is at the large bronze incense burner in front of the main building in Sensoji. It's believed that smoke from the incense has divine power, so visitors wave smoke toward their bodies and heads to heal illness or to keep their health. "People believe incense put in the bowl belongs to Buddha," said Seo. "They use the smoke of the incense for a blessing. If they have a bad eye, they use the incense, hoping to heal their eye."The Five Storied Pagoda is located on the left of the temple's main building. The pagoda was built in 1973 in honor of Japanese comedians.In front of the temple is the Nakamise shopping arcade. This, along with the surrounding streets, was once the site of the Yoshiwara, the licensed pleasure quarter of the city of Edo. Many a kabuki play and other works of art were inspired by life in the Yoshiwara. "It's a good place to find a souvenir to take back home," Seo said.It's not the only thing visitors will take home. Asakusa offers an authentic, Japanese experience for all who pass through its gates.