San Francisco Japantown
Compared to Chinatown (the largest Chinatown outside Asia), San Francisco's Japantown is very small. The forced relocation of Japanese residents during World War II really took a toll on the Japanese population in the neighborhood. Japantown covers a few blocks along Post Street between Fillmore and Laguna. Despite it's small size, Japantown still has a vibrant community.
Japan Center and Peace Plaza
Built in 1963 as part of a redevelopment effort, the Japan Center includes a Japanese style mall, a hotel, a multiplex movie theatre and the recently remodeled Peace Plaza. A white pagoda marks the location of the Peace Plaza, which is landscaped with large boulders and granite benches. Charlie and I live only a couple blocks from Japantown, so we visit the Center often to see a movie, enjoy some sushi or shop for Japanese-styled presents. The Kabuki movie theatre (run by AMC) features Hollywood-style movies. It also hosts the San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival.
Inside the Japan Center mall, you'll find jewelry stores, a Japanese-language bookstore, and stores featuring Japanese-style pottery and teapots. My favorite is a little teapot store located in the arched bridge that crosses over Webster Street. You'll also find a bakery, a sweets and dessert shop and a crepe place. I bought a beautiful blue shaded lamp with ocean-like waves for my nightstand in a small home furnishing store. With a careful walk through the mall, you'll find a tiny store that sells fine green teas for $7.00 or more per ounce. If you want to purchase some Japanese-style tea without emptying your pocketbook, you can access a small Japanese grocery store outside the mall and across Webster street.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Each spring (usually in April), the San Francisco Japanese community celebrates the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. During the festival, which usually runds for two weekends, Post Street blocked off between Fillmore and Laguna. The street is filled with venders selling food and Japanese wares. Community organizaions also set up information booths. There are several stages at which you can watch Japanese performances that celebrate Japanese culture, including music, dance, martial arts and more.
Japantown Restaurants
You don't have to go to Japantown to find great sushi and other Japanese cuisine in San Francisco. However, Japantown has the largest concentration of Japanese restaurants in the city, so you'll have many great restaurants to choose from, including Maki, Isobune or Benihana in the Japan Center. Alternatively, across Post street from the Peace Plaza you'll notice a courtyard area marked by two fountains (and a Denny's on the corner). This courtyard is border by several more restaurants. If you feel like a visit to the Denny's, you'll be amused by the menus, which are written in both English and Japanese.
Japantown Gems
There are many great stores, restaurantes and eateries in Japantown. The following sections provide more information about some of Japantown's best.
Radisson Miyako Hotel
We had Charlie's parents stay in the Japan Center's Radisson Miyako Hotel at 1625 Post Street during one of their weekend visits. Charlie's father was extremely impressed with the recently remodeled hotel room, and he exuberantly pointed out what he considered to be one of the room's best features by announcing, "Charlie, you've got to check out the throne." I must admit it was a pretty impressive toilet. The Miyaka is now their favorite place to stay when they visit us. It's conveniently located a few blocks from where we live.
Maki
Maki, one of the best sushi restaurants in Japantown, is located in the Japan Center mall across the corridor from the Japanese-language bookstore and just before the arched bridge that crosses over Webster Street. Maki has a really delicious miso soup and also specializes in wappa dishes (steamed vegetables and fish in bamboo baskets). The restaurant is small, so a reservation is often necessary to get a table.
