| Japantown comprises about six square | | | | and custom-made furniture. There are |
| city blocks in the Western Addition of | | | | also plenty of restaurants to go around |
| San Francisco. The area is home to a | | | | as well, if you visit the Kintetsu Mall, |
| large number of Japanese (and some | | | | there is a pathway of restaurants that |
| Korean and Chinese) restaurants, | | | | should satisfy your midday cravings. |
| supermarkets, indoor shopping malls, | | | | From noodles and rice dishes to sushi to |
| hotels, banks and other shops, including | | | | go, the mall has pretty much everything. |
| one of the few U.S. branches of the | | | | And while most of the restaurants are |
| large Kinokuniya bookstore chain. Its | | | | sit-down style, there are carry-out |
| focal point is the Japan Center (opened | | | | options, such as Osakaya, which offers |
| in 1968), the site of three | | | | various container meals filled with |
| Japanese-oriented shopping centers and | | | | samples of sushi, side dishes, noodles, |
| the Peace Pagoda, a five-tiered concrete | | | | and rice. |
| stupa designed by Japanese architect | | | | And aside from the shopping and eating |
| Yoshiro Taniguchi and presented to San | | | | experience, a trip to Japan Center will |
| Francisco by the people of Osaka, Japan. | | | | also give you a chance to mingle with |
| If you're looking for a unique gift to | | | | neighborhood residents, SF locals, and |
| take back home, then the best place to | | | | other out-of-town visitors. When you do |
| start looking is in San Francisco's | | | | visit here, you'll find a very friendly |
| Japantown. More specifically - Japan | | | | vibe. Like Chinatown, you feel welcomed |
| Center, where you'll find specialty | | | | here. One note: make sure to actually |
| shops, a movie theater, sushi bars, and | | | | walk into the Peace Plaza and gaze up at |
| traditional restaurants all within | | | | the Peace Pagoda in Nihonmachi. Erected |
| walking distance. | | | | in 1968 as a symbol of eternal peace, |
| In Miyako Mall, beautiful showrooms of | | | | it's an inspiring example of |
| exotic Chinese natural stones can be | | | | architecture that should cap off your |
| found, you'll come across antiques and | | | | visit to Japantown's "heart" like |
| find all kinds of Japanese collectibles | | | | nothing else. |