Beginning around the early 1900’s, San Francisco’s recently arrived Japanese immigrants began to concentrate in the Western Addition neighborhood. This “Japantown” or “Nihonmachi” has the distinction of being the oldest in the United States. The historic neighborhood has survived such tumult as racial discrimination during World War II to remain an emblem of Japanese culture in the city. With its amazing restaurants, shops, and events, this small area of only about 6 blocks is absolutely dense with amazing things to savor and experience! Please enjoy my full guide to Japantown San Francisco!
This post contains affiliate links. As this website participates in Amazon’s Affiliate program, if you click on a link and make a qualifying purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Japantown San Francisco has its epicenter on Post Street between Fillmore and Laguna Street. It is just around the corner from the famed Fillmore music venue. The San Francisco Peace Pagoda makes for a dynamic focal point in this neighborhood. Many businesses and apartment facades bare traits of traditional Japanese architecture.
Bookstores
For some, perhaps bookstores seem like a funny place to start a travel guide. However, I find one of the loveliest ways to engage with the unique character of a neighborhood is enjoying its bookstores.
Nestled near the corner of Buchanan and Sutter Street is the quaint and beautiful Forest Books. This small bookstore has such a peaceful atmosphere with Buddhist fixtures and quotes on the walls and a little fountain at its entrance. It boasts an impressive collection of books on Asian art, religion, and philosophy.
The much larger Kinokuniya bookstore stretches over two floors. It has everything from a wealth of literature by Asian authors, to travel and cook books, to Japanese magazines, to language guides, and a whole section of books in Japanese. The lower floor has one of the largest collections of manga and video game guides I’ve seen. For fans of Hayao Miyazaki, there’s even a section of souvenirs, movies, and books dedicated to the famed director.
Shops in the Japan Center Mall
Kinokuniya bookstore is a great entry point into the Japan Center Mall. This indoor shopping center has probably the highest concentration of shops and eateries in Japantown. Japan Center Mall is a great place to find unique gifts and souvenirs.
One of my favorite shops is Daikoku which is full of gorgeous Japanese ceramics such as plate sets and drink ware. I love my beautiful sake set very similar to this one that I purchased there some time ago. Asakichi Antique Arts has a broader array of traditional wares including some beautiful textiles and kimonos. Kohshi: Master of Scents is a small store full of amazing incense, candles and decorative figurines. Nippon-ya is where you can find Japanese confectionery and sweets. Outside of the mall, don’t forget to swing by Paper Tree: a fantastic store dedicated to Origami art. That’s just a short list of some of my favorite stores in Japantown. There are many more and one could easily spend hours browsing and shopping.
What to Eat in Japantown
There are so many amazing places to eat in Japantown. One of my favorite meals to have is a hearty bowl of ramen. Many will be familiar with this rich noodle dish with aromatic broth, often loaded with meat and veggies. Some of my favorite places for ramen in Japantown are Hinondeya Ramen, Ramen Yamadaya, and Hoshinoya.
For sushi, try Kippu or for the fun conveyor belt of sushi experience, head to Hikari Bullet Train Sushi. There’s a wonderful stall in the mall with traditional Japanese street food called Takoyaki Yama-chan. “Takoyaki” is one of my favorite Japanese street food snacks: little fried balls of dough with octopus bits inside.
I’ve also got a special spot in my heart for Nande-ya on the upper floor of the mall. Affordable and has “a bit of everything” as far as Japanese food staples. Frankly the ambiance is as much of a draw as the food. With its bold red interior and vintage Japanese posters, it’s quite a vibrant, cool atmosphere to eat in.
Naturally, the culinary focus of this neighborhood is Japanese food but you can also find a couple of spots for Korean and Chinese cuisine. One of my favorite Korean restaurants in Japantown is Doobu (which is Korean for “tofu”).
How About Dessert?
An absolutely charming experience to have in Japantown is traditional English tea at Crown & Crumpet Tea Salon complete with fluffy scones, jam, and cream. The décor is, as I once described to a friend, “aggressively adorable” with pink trimmings, lace doilies and decorative homages to England. It’s located in the New People building where you can also find a movie theater and a shops with eclectic Japanese street fashion. Back at the Japan Center mall, Sophie’s Crepes has amazing ice cream crepes and Matcha Cafe Maiko is know for matcha ice cream (a bold green tea flavor).
Festivals
One of the best times to visit Japantown is during one of their many festivals! All the shop browsing and eating out is a little extra fun with the lively atmosphere. You can enjoy music, traditional dance and more at events such as the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Usually held across two weeks in April, there are performances held in the courtyard by the Peace Pagoda. The Anime and Cosplay festival is also a treat. You can see many people in elaborate costumes from their favorite anime or video game characters. The dates are subject to change so, if you’re interested, poke around their events calendar approaching the Spring and Summer months.
More Things to Do in Japantown
There is so much more to do in Japantown San Francisco, it’s a feat to list everything. Enjoy karaoke? Try K-Box Karaoke at 1660 Geary Blvd or Festa on the upper floor of the mall, which has a really fun glitzy interior and cocktails. Care for a relaxing day at the spa? Pamper yourself at Pearl Spa and Sauna. If you want to find traditional Asian groceries and snacks, you can do some shopping at Nijiya Market on the corner of Webster and Post Street. If you can’t make it to Japantown, I love these boxes of Japanese snacks you can order to get a taste of authentic treats. For my fellow lovers of Korean food: just on the edge of Japantown on Fillmore Street is the Korean grocery store Woori Market. For my fellow Korean food lovers, here’s a wonderful Korean snack box I found as well!
Japantown San Francisco is easily one of my favorite places to visit in this beautiful city. Whether for a quiet afternoon browsing in a bookstore, a soothing meal with a nice view, or one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had; it’s a place that, no matter how many times I revisit, I know I will have an amazing day. I hope visitors to San Francisco who take in its famous streets and natural beauty won’t forget to stop by this wonderful neighborhood!
