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Nihonmachi, also known as JapanTown

Today's JapanTown was formed after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and fire and occupies an area of the Filmore district that is roughly within the confines of California Street to the north, O'Farrell Street to the south, Fillmore to the west and Laguna to the east.

Most Japanese immigrants entered the United States through San Francisco and many settled either south of Market Street or in the Chinatown area. With the 1906 earthquake and the rapid expansion of Los Angeles many Japanese migrated to what is now known as Little Tokyo and Los Angeles remains the most populous Japanese settlement in California today.

Many former residents of San Francisco chose not to return after the World War II related forced internment of Japanese Americans — some even second or third generation Americans — from 1942–45. About one-third of the internees followed the encouragement of the War Relocation Authority and resettled in the East and Midwest.

JapanTown was also negatively impacted by redevelopment in the 1950's with the widening of Geary Boulevard and the destruction of dozens of Victorians to make room for both the boulevard and the Japan Center Mall.

The Webster Bridge's design was inspired by traditional Japanese pedestrian walkways. In addition to providing a safe passage over the traffic on Geary Boulevard, the arched bridge has views of Japan Center and San Francisco's Western Addition.

The Japan Center — with its Peace Plaza and five-story Pagoda is the dominate architectural structure in JapanTown. Fairly non-de script on the outside but filled with delightful restaurants and shops, stairways and open courtyards, the Japan Center Mall is a concentrated expression of Japanese culture in the middle of San Francisco.

The AMC Kabuki 8 Theater — home to the annual San Francisco Asian American Film Festival — is at the western most end of the Japan Center mall and the Kabuki Springs and Spa is at the other end, just a block from the Filmore Auditorium on the other side of Geary Boulevard.

The Miyako hotel at Post and Laguna has a picturesque Japanese garden. There are also two public garages with discounted, validated parking.

Ruth Asawa designed the twin origami-style fountain in the middle of the one block open air mall that visually extends Peace Plaza north toward Pacific Heights.

Visit my Cherry Blossom Festival page for pictures and information about this spring event in Japantown. The Nihonmachi Stret Fair is held in August to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander communities in San Francisco. Last year it included an Obon Festival with kimono clad dancers performing traditional Obon dances in addition to local Asain art, food fest and more.