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A few thoughts to tag onto the above.

I would agree with LapLap on the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku. It is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. As she stated, it is right next door to the sumo stadium called the Ryogoku Kokugikan, which is a futuristic-looking, very distinctive piece of architecture. Both are right on both a subway stop and a train station and have signed exits from each. I find the subway to be more convenient but if you are going to Akihabara ("Electric Town,") Ryogoku is one JR rail stop further.

The Edo-Tokyo is even more distinctive in appearance than the stadium, being shaped to resemble the old traditional, stilt-legged storage warehouses. The building is set over a nice plaza and supported on huge legs. Tickets are purchased from a booth on the plaza and you enter by way of a long, amusement park ride of an escalator all the way to the top and then work your way down through the various floors. The exhibits and displays show life in the city from when it was a small fishing village named Edo, through the time it was the capitol of the Tokugawa shogunate and into the modern era when it was renamed Tokyo. I like the recreation of an old kabuki theater but most all of it is fun and informative. The World War II displays are a little chilling. If you are lucky, there may be an art or crafts display or free concert going on in the outdoor plaza, below the building. Well worth a couple of hours.

In Ryogoku, you will be fortunate to see sumo wrestlers but it is possible. The younger apprentices often are sent to run errands and seeing the huge young men in yukata and zori sandals, riding along on bicycles can be a little strange. There will not be a tournament on during your visit so the athletes will be busy preparing for the next one in November. At the Kokugikan, you may not be permitted inside the stadiumbut the tiny museum, located down a ramp on the station-side of the building, is free and they have an English-language brochure at the office near the entrance. The museum will only take about 10 minutes and is rather unimpressive. For a unique experience, you can take a stroll through the nearby neighborhood and find a chanko-nabe restaurant for lunch. The hearty fish, meat and vegetable-based stew, along with rice, is the traditional meal of sumo athletes trying to bulk up. I am not really a fan but I suppose it is a cultural thing to try once. Many of these places are owned and operated by retired sumo wrestlers.

Another way to see and learn some of the culture is a visit to the huge Ueno Park, in Ueno and only two subway stops from Asakusa. One of the first things you see when you climb the stone steps up from street level to the Park entrance is a statue of the "real" last samurai, Saigo Takamori, in a very unmilitary pose walking his dog. Saigo led the last revolutionary attempt against the new Imperial Japanese government, called the Satsuma Rebellion, in 1877. He died during a battle near the end of the fighting. The character of Katsunori, played by Ken Watanabe in the Hollywood film, was loosely based on Saigo. There are several other memorials scattered around the grounds.

Less morbid than the outdoor memorials is the large park with its seasonal color and outdoor art works. There is a small zoo (don't bother), pagodas and other building and displays and near the rear of the park grounds are several buildings of the National Museum. The main building is worth a visit as are some of the nearby art museums. Everything is signed in English. The biggest drawback in Ueno Park is a moderately large, rather unsightly population of homeless persons. You will occasionally see the blue plastic tarps they use for shelter. I haven't heard of any reports of the homeless bothering tourists. I never had any problems.

Right across the street from Ueno Park is the entrance to the Ame-Yoko outdoor shopping arcade. Delightfully seedy, Ame-Yoko is a fun, bustling place to browse for souvenirs or just "window" shop. Just be sure to avoid the foreign touts and hucksters trying to sell you fake phone or transit cards and other counterfeit junk. They can be a little verbally aggressive but just ignore them.

Frankly, when seeking museums, the above are so much better, I really don't think Yasakuni is worth the time unless you really want to see the war criminal stuff.

Senso-ji temple is the most famous visitor site in Asakusa but not the only thing to see there. The long Nakamise shopping arcade leading to the temple has many stalls selling every kind of souvenir, food items and other interesting stuff. The various odors of cooking permeate the area. My favorite is the freshly-baked, soy-flavored senbei rice crackers (the round flat ones, not the tiny snack-bowl kind) but there are many different treats to try. If there is any type of festival going on, there will also be food stalls on the temple grounds where you can get a freshly prepared lunch. Okonomiyaki, grilled corn, beer, lots of stuff. My first (but not last) takoyaki octopus puffs were found there. My nieces loved the three ball-shaped dumplings-on-a- stick called dango, which come with various flavored sauces. Google any of these foods to see mouth-watering photos.

The area around Senso-ji includes the old entertainment quarter from a hundred years ago, with many tiny performance venues and theaters. Sometimes you can find street performers plying their trade. If there is time, walk northwest from the temple to find this area. Just outside the temple grounds to the east is the riverside parkway. You may find rickshaws for rent there or just a bench looking out over the Sumida River toward the famous Asahi Brewing Company "golden turd" building for an iconic photo. It is actually supposed to resemble a beer glass and a forward-moving flame but you be the judge.

Also along the river, just south of the distinctive triangular entrance to the Matsuya Department Store is the ticket office and dock of the water taxi. You can take a glass-walled boat from Asakusa down to the Hama Rikyu Detached Garden, which was a playground and hunting preserve of the shoguns during the feudal era. The gardens are spectacular during cherry blossom season but should have some fall color for your visit. If time allows, I recommend a couple of hours in Hama Rikyu. From there you can catch a return boat or walk (or taxi) over to Ginza or Tsukiji Market, where you can find subway stations. The water taxi continues on past Hama Rikyu all the way to the mouth of the harbor on Tokyo Bay if that interests you. Even just between Asakusa and Hama Rikyu, the boat ride gives an interesting alternative, back-side look at the city and many of its iconic bridges.

Speaking of department stores, an hour or so visiting a good one can be fun and interesting. Having white-gloved attendants open doors or operate elevators for you and sales persons bowing as you approach gives new meaning to customer service after the rude, uncaring attitudes of western clerks. In addition to the various wares, most good depatos have food halls in the basement that are a wonder to see. Matsuya at Asakusa Station is a wonderful example, as is Isetan in Kyoto Station.

For Tokyo, subways and trains are the transit choices. Unlike Kyoto, the Tokyo bus system is not very helpful for casual tourists. Although you will probably want to use the less expensive transit options, remember that the occasional taxi can save you a lot of your limited time. I try to balance expense versus convenience and splurge on a cab when it is warranted. Cabs are plentiful and can be flagged down all over. If time gets short, keep the same in mind in Kyoto.

Have a great visit to Japan.