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