Came to San Francisco during Super Bowl week and had the chance to explore Japantown and Lower Pacific Heights again, and it honestly reminded me why I love this city so much. After being in Washington, D.C., where it was much colder, the warm SF weather felt amazing and made walking around the neighborhood even better. The food was incredible! We tried several different restaurants, and every place had something special, from comforting ramen to fresh sushi. Japantown has such a great mix of authentic flavors, cozy spots, and unique little shops that make the whole experience feel lively and welcoming. Being back in San Francisco, enjoying great food, good weather, and the energy of Super Bowl week, was just an all-around great feeling. I truly believe this is one of the best Japantowns in the country, and I can't wait to come back and explore even more. read more

I'm sure I'm biased bc I grew up up coming here in the 70s/80s and then as a teen and grown up in the 90s... 2000s lol... it's like a second home despite a lot of changes over the years. Some of the changes I like and some not so much. Parking is hella easy in the underground lot and you can always find a nice gift at any price range as well as a nice snack, drink or meal. I always bring my visitors here when we run out if other stuff to see- but it's hit or miss. My company either loves it and always asked to return, or they think it's a waste of time lol. Like I said, I love it and always will- but I'm not sure how much is pure nostalgia. Recommend visiting at least once. I know the J town in LA feels a lot bigger and I appreciate that one too, but this one is my favorite and I have to show support as a Sansei. Most importantly, restrooms are always clean lol ... read more

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Japantown is a must whenever we visit San Francisco. The main quad is still under construction, but it is expected to finish this year. I can't wait to see the renovation. Some must try eats/drinks here are marufuku ramen, maruwu matcha, matcha cafe maiko, Jina's, Udon Mugizo, and Sophie's Crepe. They also have many stores that sell trinkets, accessories, make up, skin care, and many more. Highly recommend coming here as you will spend money and not be bored. They have a parking structure, but you can definitely find street parking in the right places. read more

How to rate a place I have been to so randomly for so long. I had heard that J-Town is bustling and last Sunday it was. I had assumed that this is due to a renovation, but that clearly is not the case though the new plaza will probably be a nice upgrade. Perhaps I appreciated it more since we were recently in Japan. The sun beating through the skylights was surprisingly hot, so hot that vendors perched below had to use umbrellas on what was not a warm day outside! What to make of that I do not know. We had a meal that was reasonably good. I don't think I will go out of my way to return but am glad I stopped by last week. read more

Japantown - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Quality/Quantity - I am so sad as I/we felt that J-Town is going downhill. From so many businesses closing, the high theft, car break ins, etc. It is just not the same. And this is one of my wife's favorite places. Well hopefully ALL this construction will be finished soon and improve the place... The good news is that there are so many great restaurants, including the surrounding areas. Over 200 small businesses; support local! Ambiance - 6 block area. If I were to guess, not many Japanese live here any more. The main mall is STILL under renovation; see pictures. Still open but NOT busy on this holiday. So many events, I look forward to re-attending. See website. A few of the major events are - Cherry Blossom Festival (in April), Nihonmachi Street Fair (in August), Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year), etc. And of course, there are so many great restaurants which are too many to name here. Okay, I am repeating myself, lol. Many tours available, including self guided. Just Google it. Parking - Because this is a "tourist" location, it is more prone to car break-ins, especially if you have out of state plates. I make sure I drive my CA registered cars here only now. Service - Self service. A tourist area, expect service to reflect that. Good or bad. Price - Reasonable. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1906. Sadly, only 1 of 3 are left in the US, but this one is the largest and oldest. read more

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Amazing place. So many amazing places to eat! Friendly people. Everyone was so nice and friendly. You really feel the Japanese vibe with the architecture and art. Will come back again to visit. read more

I love this place. Two full buildings, two floors , each, and a hotel. There is lots to see and do. if you are looking for something Japanese related, there is an extremely good chance he will find it here Bookstores, gift, shops, skincare, they have several kids arcades where they can win Japanese prizes, anime shops, jewelry, shops, and lots and lots of restaurants. They have a Benihana, (of course...) tea shops, Ramen shops, sushi, shops, small shops, where they just sell Japanese snacks, I had lunch at a place that had Japanese style curry spaghetti, and it was great. They even have a Japanese curry pizza. I was also invited to A sake tasting, but I retired from drinking a long time ago. Unfortunately, the outside "peace Plaza" was closed and fenced off. It had a beautiful pagoda, plants, and trees. I hope it reopens even better than it was before. A great place with lots of things to see, do, and of course, spend money on. read more

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We like Japantown San Francisco and it's one of largest in the United States. It offers a unique and rich experience of Japan culture. It has many authentic Japanese cuisines and shops. We also saw some cherry blossoms there because they bloom in spring time. read more

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Checked out Japantown while I was in San Francisco and it was unfortunately under renovations so a lot of the structure was blocked off/ hidden. However it was a great tourist spot, filled with authentic mom and pop Japanese shops, bakeries, restaurants and knick knacks. I came to see if I would get lucky in purchasing matcha here, since there is a global shortage of matcha, especially in Japan. To my surprise, I was able to locate some but it was very expensive, especially since prices are in USD (and I'm a Canadian use to CAD pricing). Regardless, it was nice to see these shops filled with matcha accessories like ceramics, whisks, bowls, and more. Overall, Japantown is a must visit if you're in SF looking for a bit of Japanese culture/ experience. read more

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Love, replace lots of historian here lots of great restaurants lots of good food very getting a redo right now but it's gonna be even better once it's done they keep expanding it read more

We have been to San Francisco so many times and had never been here. We loved all the food, skincare, anime, books, and other shops. I even ended up at a soft opening of a restaurant with Taiko drums and was offered Sake to celebrate. It is well kept and we cannot wait to come back. read more

Japantown - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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japantown is very cute and a lot of different stores to shop and buy food! stopped at a beauty store to try and pick up some items. also a perk as it's close to fillmore street. read more

Japantown - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Japantown has always been a go to spot for us when we miss Japan, of course there is no comparison, but Nijiya Market has always been a good spot for Bento boxes, sushi, Sashimi, anything you want- quality has always been good, and if you get there later before closing, they discount some of the items. It's located on Post and Buchanan, street parking if you can find it but they have a parking garage underneath the shops and restaurants. They have so many good spots for Sushi, Ramen, Sophie's Crepes is another fav, Boba, you won't be disappointed! We will be back! read more

Was at Japantown 04/20 and coincidentally got to participate in their Cherry Blossom festival! Saw a parade and cool cars. Best part for us was the little Shiba Inu pooch with his kimono on stage. Super adorable! Needless go say, it was super crowded, hot but fun to see everyone enjoying the festivities. read more

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The Japantown in SF is the oldest and largest Japanese community in the country. I think visiting here is like a quick mini trip to explore Japanese anime, manga, sushi, sweets, and many other cultures and delicious food. read more

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Japantown today is hopping!! It's the Cherry Blossoms Festival. Everyone and anyone who is interested in anything asian and wants to eat good Japanese food is here. There was good music playing. Some presentations onstage. Several tents with a lot of food from takoyaki, spam musubi and tofu hotdogs. Some slushees, ice cream and mochi too. Small cute accessories on sale too. Pretty crowded but we had a great time--walking around, eating and enjoying going around. Parking was terrible of course because of all the hundreds of people but walking around on such a nice spring day was beautiful! read more

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Small mall with plenty of shops and restaurants. There is parking underground available or street parking. Lots of matcha and boba places. If you are looking to shop for Japanese jewelry or kitchenware this is a good option. read more

This place is cute. It's like a mini mall that feels like you're walking through a Japanese city. Different shops, from eateries to book stores. My only complaint is that it was a little warm in there, but I would recommend visiting there. read more

I love this SF Japantown. Theres so many cute little family owned businesses and restaurants as well as pop up places, it's always another gem I find here! I also appreciate all the festivals and coned off areas for different events. I will be back! read more

Japantown - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Haven't been to japantown sf in a couple of years. How i missed coming here, eating great food and seeing the stores read more

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My family and I came here many many times. I finally had a chance to do a review. We came on Christmas Day to walk around. We grocery shopped at the Nijiya market and then walked around the West and East Mall entrance of Japantown. Some stores were open and some were closed. My son and I end up getting a drink at YiFang since Pink Pink was closed. We never had a problem parking on the streets near Japantown. Unfortunately, this time, someone had smashed the back side of our passenger small window. No other cars were hit on the same street, but just us, maybe because our car was newer. We also had water bottles, one jacket, and a scarf inside the car. The thieve did put our backseat down to see if there was anything in the trunk. Nothing was stolen, but we were disappointed that our car window was broken. San Francisco is definitely not the same. Please stay safe out there everyone. I will drive an old used car here next time and leave nothing on display inside the car and perhaps roll down all my windows so no one can break my window anymore as there is really nothing to steal! Three star for the car window, but four star for the overall Japantown East and West Mall. read more

Japantown in SF is a must visit for me! Renovations are complete and it's much nicer. In the mall, you have free, clean public restrooms, lots of Japanese restaurants and bakeries. The shops are everything wonderful about Japanese culture, especially cats, cats, and more cats! The bookstore, Kinokuniya, has so much more than just books! There is a Kiddleton that was fun even for this 59 year old solo traveler. If you have kids, they will LOVE it! read more

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i like matcha and jojo's bizarre adventure and they had that they also had alien stage and i got hyuna and mizi keychains so very awesome read more

Dang, I gott say that NorCal weebs have it hard. I'll be honest, maybe I'm too car brained or Little Tokyo biased, but it's not the easiest getting here especially if you're coming in from the cities surrounding SF. I mean there is BART and if you really want to you can drive (can be a hit or miss with parking especially with timing, validating, paying for it, etc.). Pair that with the fact that some of the pop up events and anime related gatherings occur here, its rough! However, as a tourist, weeb or not, it's definitely worth a stop and there have been so many changes (anyone remember the J-rock/visual kei station, iyky) including no more physical h. Naoto shop, the taiyaki place that did chocolate banana flavor, as well as the small arcade with that giant chubby Pikachu statue they'd sometimes decorate. It's not all bad though and you can definitely spend the majority of the day here. My favs to stop by are the Nippon-ya shop to get some omiyage (vacation gifts to friends, families, co-workers) of imported Japanese sweets and other goods, Belly Good Crepes (thus far NOWHERE else I've been to in California makes crepes as cute as their's), Kinokuniya (of course), and lots of quick serve places for some good eats like takoyaki, mocha donuts, ice cream, baked goods, and boba. There's a purikura place there for some photos and you can also get something from Nijiya as well. There's also an uptick of cute shops with cute character merchandise and blind boxes, as well as clothing, make up and other accessories. Of course with the hallyu wave, there's K-pop related/adjacent businesses (yes, even in Jtown). One of the shop allows you to decorate a mirror, phone case, etc. with resin charms and much more. It's very popular and busy when we visited. There's the main mall/shopping area with a bridge connecting over the street (with a restaurant and businesses on that bridge, the New People building, and another plaza nearby. The main mall area has another part separated by a plaza where people and pigeons gather and where the tower is for pictures. In the separated area is a Daiso and some other eateries. The main mall itself has 2 floors on one side and the other side leads into a food alley with multiple restaurants. A must stop at least once if you're visiting SF and I guess each time you visit if you're a weeaboo lol. My only gripe is that many businesses close SUPER early even on the weekends. read more

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Japantown is a must visit if you've never been, especially for the Cherry Blossom Festival. This place has changed a lot over the years, but I'm glad it still holds much of its classic essence. Some of the must visit shops when I'm there are: - the book store - the stationary store - over the bridge, where they have good food and plays anime all day. I think they have manga to read as well - the hobby store - the original crepe man across from the knife store - kbbq downstairs near the hair salon Though I do really miss May's Cafe and Autofreak. read more

Merely drove by Japantown while in San Francisco. Wish I had had more time to stop there and explore. My sightseeing was limited to the beautiful fan that greets you and seeing shop after shop of Japanese goodies. Bookstores, restaurants, and the like encompass two measly streets, but what impressive streets they are. It isn't everyday you see a Japanese community outside of Japan, and well, how fortunate to have one in San Francisco. read more

Japantown - Japanese bookstore. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Beautiful Japantown in SF! There is a small mall that offers many shops and restaurants, there is parking located either underground or on the street. There are many cute family owned businesses. read more

San Francisco is very fortunate to have one of the largest concentrated areas of a "Japantown" in the entire United States. And when you factor in the deep rich culture, endless amount of Japanese restaurants and bakeries, indoor shopping, arts & crafts, a supermarket, the largest Japanese bookstore, "Kinokuniya", then you have a very impressive center that is great for the entire family. This Japantown that all of us are familiar with opened in the late 1960s and has been a strong presence for the tourism in San Francisco. Having been born and raised in San Francisco, I am no stranger to Japantown also known as "Nihonmachi" or "日本町" in Japanese. Located in the heart of the Western Addition neighborhood, it spans roughly 6 city blocks and runs parallel to Geary Blvd. The one striking feature of this center is the beautifully designed concrete Peace Pagoda stupa that stands proudly in the heart of Japantown. Additionally, you can spot a ton of cherry blossom flowers, Origami displays, and a lot of Japanese history of when the first immigrants arrived in the early 20th century. I am particularly a food fanatic so seeing an abundance of sushi restaurants really makes this experience a special one. And of course all the Japanese favorites including beef teriyaki and tempura, There is even a Benihana to those that want that full experience with the chefs using the knife-wielding, joke-telling at a traditional teppanyaki table. Aside from that, there are at least two dozen restaurants here; not just Japanese but also Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Ramen/noodle houses. There's even a ton of mochi shops and places to get a boba drink. During the "Cherry Blossom Festival" which is held annually every April, they have traditional Japanese music, dancing, and a variety of various cultural activities. If you really want that full Japanese experience, I would recommend staying at the "Hotel Kabuki" which focuses on Japanese decor inside and out. The concept is great but the hotel itself is a bit on the pricey side as I would much rather spend money on something like this in Japan. All in all, "Japantown" is a must-visit destination if you are looking to take a trip to San Francisco. Getting here is fairly simple as many of the retailers will validate your parking for a decent price. And the parking garage (for being a very dense area) is actually quite generous. If you wish to take public transit, the 38 Geary and 22 Fillmore Muni buses stop directly here. When you factor in the hospitality and above average customer service that I experienced as well as the vibe of Japantown, I am giving this a unanimous five-star Yelp rating. Arigatō! read more

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NEW PHOTOBOOTH! Has the popular Seventeen frames that is in LA's Little Tokyo shown on Tiktok (iykyk) - $6 for a vertical layout and I believe $8 for a bigger postcard layout - EXACT CASH ONLY (no change) - 10 second count-down or you can use a clicker - The clicker glitched out a bit on us but we still had fun! - Takes 8 photos but you choose 4 for your final - Digital photo & video for FREE (qr code printed on photo) Location is on the bottom floor, near Kinokuniya's manga store. Right by the staircase :) PARKING TIP (Two block walk at most): Free street parking on Gough street, right across Cathedral of Saint Mary of Assumption. I ALWAYS find parking there and I think it's mainly because parking in SF is overwhelming and people are scared to enter the red taxi lane, but there is definitely street parking next to that lane!! So keep your eyes peeled for parking there, save your money, and have fun in Japantown! read more

Everything in one place. Plenty of comfort food. Looks busy enough to be sustainable. Spacious. Little Tokyo in LA is unbearable in comparison. read more

Japantown - spacious - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Japantown in San Francisco is a place where one could spend anywhere from a few hours to several days, indoors or outside discovering all the shops, sites, and eateries. We spent a 1/2 day at West Mall and in Peace Plaza, and absolutely loved it! read more

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This year the Pagoda courtyard is under construction and blocked off but there's lots of stores, restaurants, and multiple levels of shopping fun. read more

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If you can't make a trip to Japan, this is the closest experience you can get! Lots of restaurants, of course, but it's the book store (Kinokuniya- a marvelous place to visit even if you don't read Japanese) and other specialty stores (like Paper Tree - an oligami shop) that make this place unique. Plenty of shops to browse: Japanese pottery, handicrafts, and other nicknacks. Plan to spend half a day and include a meal. Tons of eating options from sushi, ramen, to sweets and snacks. There's also a Japanese supermarket, Nijiya where you can buy some nice sauces and ingredients for DIY Japanese meals. They also validate parking in the main lot under the mall with purchase. read more

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Love this spot it's actually Cherry Blossom Festival throughout this weekend and next weekend me and a couple of my friends were very fortunate and be able to check it out There is a bunch of food and vendors so make sure to check them read more

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It's been about 17 years since the last time we visited San Francisco's Japantown and needless to say a lot has changed. There used to be a variety of shops inside this mall but now practically all the stores are trinket shops specializing in stationary, pens, plushies and what-not. There's still plenty of eateries: ramen, sushi takoyaki, bubble tea and mochis, but I couldn't find the old restaurant that had the okinomiyaki. It just seems like this, like many mall-esque establishments have been gutted out; so many things that was once there are now missing. It's definitely not tge Japantown I fondly remembered in my youth. read more

Japantown - Japantown pagoda - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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WOW!!!! This is just amazing! I went to a few stores and it was great. I went to this one store and they had chiikawa stuff, enstars, pjsk, haikyu, and alot more! I was really happy but didn't end up buying anything. I was GONNA buy the enstars and pjsk things but they were SOO expensive??? like what the heck.. but I had alot of fun there and the benihana restaurant is SOOO good!!!! Roberto was our chef! Again.. because we actually went there last year and we're seeing him again! How surprising read more

I really dig coming here. It's literally one of my favorite things to do. When I am in San Francisco, I always make it a point to come to shop and eat. There is so much food and shopping with interesting and fun options. Here are a few of my favorite spots: Kinokuniya Bookstore Paper Tree Soko Hardware Suki Boutique Yumi Boutique Doobu (their Kimchi Bibimbap is SO GOOD) If you are a tourist, make it a point to stop by and give yourself a few hours to explore the many shops, have a bite, and just immerse yourself. It is worth it. read more

My first visit to SF Japantown took place in the mid-2000s and I've been hooked since. The changes over the years have been positive. I remember during my 1st visit, there were petitions going around to save Japantown as some developers were eyeing the space. Thankfully, those developers didn't get what they want! One of my favorite aspects about Japantown is the uniqueness of so many mom & pop shops and restaurants selling specialty items that you can't get elsewhere. The beloved Benkyodo Mochi, closing 3/31/22, will always be a favorite. I also enjoy many of the ramen/udon noodle joints, especially during the chilly days/nights of SF. The openness of the space with lots of space to sit in the courtyards make Japantown very inviting. Located right off Geary Blvd., it's not too difficult to catch any MUNI bus to get here. The only drawback is that BART doesn't come to this part of town. Street parking can be challenging, but usually achievable, except for maybe when there are festivals. One of my favorite festivals is the Cherry Blossom Festival where so many vendors sell delicious food and fun trinkets. The performances are great too! Japantown, I'll see you again soon. #9/2022 read more

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My go-to spot in SF! Highly recommend taking your family and friends there to spend an afternoon or a whole day when there are events! Every lively, safe and inclusive community! Support local businesses please! My favorite restaurants there are the Takoyaki place and Daeho . Ofc many of my other friends likes Marufuku but I think Ippuku (not in Japan town but in market st) is 5x better. Def worth checking out all the cute stores to get your friends (or girlfriend) a cute gift. They will be happy even with the $1.5 Daisy gifts read more

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I attended the Cherry Blossom Festival a few weeks ago and had an absolutely amazing time! It was my first time in SF's Japantown and I loved being able to visit all the vendors and shops and see so many people in costumes and cosplays! It was extremely crowded and parking was a terrible struggle, but it was worth it! Unfortunately I wasn't able to try any of the food in Japantown because the lines were all incredibly long waits, but maybe next time. Hoping I can come back again one day! read more

Japantown - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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