Beniko, now 52, spent a decade working in one of these so-called soaplands after a difficult childhood during ... close to current-day tourist hotspot Asakusa. Yoshiwara prospered in this location ...

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Nakamise shopping arcade, a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo's Asakusa, is nearing the completion of its first roof replacement since the aftermath of World War II.

Asakusa, an area of Tokyo with a long history, is still brimming with tradition. It's a popular tourist spot with Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, Sensoji, drawing over 30 million visitors a year.