San Francisco Neighborhoods · Japantown
Japantown
also NihonmachiSun zoneA compact, vibrant pocket of Japanese-American culture where the Peace Pagoda presides over mall arcades, taiko drums, and cherry blossoms — one of America's last three Japantowns.
- One of three U.S. Japantowns
- Japan Center under one roof
- Cherry Blossom Festival yearly
- Walkable Buchanan mall charm
On the map
Open Japantown on the map →The story
Nihonmachi, meaning "Japantown," took root after the 1906 earthquake and fire pushed Japanese immigrants into the Western Addition, where the community flourished for decades. Executive Order 9066 forced their incarceration during World War II, emptying the district almost overnight; African-American war workers filled the vacated homes. Postwar, returning families rebuilt, but 1960s redevelopment razed Victorian blocks and displaced many residents, reshaping the area into today's Japan Center malls and Peace Plaza.
Things most people don’t know
Peace Pagoda
The five-tiered concrete Peace Pagoda was a 1968 gift from sister city Osaka, designed by Japanese architect Yoshiro Taniguchi. It rises about 100 feet over Peace Plaza.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Held each April since 1968, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is among the largest of its kind in the country. It draws hundreds of thousands over two weekends.
Incarceration and Redress
Some 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII under Executive Order 9066. The 1988 Civil Liberties Act later issued a formal apology and reparations to survivors.
The Kabuki cinema
The neighborhood's landmark movie house opened in 1986 as the AMC Kabuki. It became known for reserved seating and a 21-and-over dine-in concept.
Shrinking footprint
Once spanning some 30 blocks before the war, Japantown today covers only about six. Redevelopment-era demolitions permanently shrank the historic district.
Eating and drinking
Restaurants
- Benihana · 1737 Post St
- Suzu Noodle House · 1825 Post St
- On the Bridge · 1581 Webster St
- Kui Shin Bo · 1737 Post St
- Yakitori Edomasa · 1581 Webster St
Bars
- Pa'ina Lounge & Restaurant · 1865 Post St
- Boom Boom Room · 1601 Fillmore St
- Kimpton Buchanan Hotel bar · 1800 Sutter St
Getting around and getting care
Transit. The 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid run just south along Geary Boulevard, while the 2 Sutter/Clement, 3 Jackson, and 22 Fillmore buses serve the surrounding blocks. The 22 Fillmore connects north to the Marina and south toward the Mission.
Nearest hospital. Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, 2425 Geary Blvd (about 0.6 mi)
Thinking about Japantown?
Send me an address and I will come back with its sun, wind and fog, what is under it, and what has closed on the block.