Japantown
We're all used to hearing Chinatown and only a few knows that there is also a place called Japantown, the Japan version of the Chinatown. Japantown San Francisco is actually just one of the 3 of its kind in the United States so it's rare to find one around.
Japantown is also known as the J-town, also called little Osaka and to Japanese they call it Nihonmachi. In San Francisco, Japantown comprises 6 square blocks in San Francisco's Western Addition area. This is where majority of the Japanese are residing and also there are Chinese and Koreans here as well. Asian delicacies, especially the Japanese delicacies, are sold on every block. There are restaurants, shopping malls, supermarkets, banks and hotels in Japantown.
Japantown San Francisco is the oldest of its kind in the United States. It was once a large area but after the World War II, the area shrunk to what it is today. During the World War II, the Japanese Americans were taken into custody and the portion of the area that was vacant was then taken over by the African Americans. After the war, some of the Japanese occupants returned to America and they started a community once again.
If you want to visit Japantown, there are 2 major festivals that are being celebrated here every year. There's the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival which is being held during April and the Nihonmachi St. Fair which is held on August.
Now San Francisco CA travel visitors go to Japantown San Francisco because it truly feels like a small chunk of Japan. You don't need to come and experience Japan from the country itself, people from San Francisco are lucky that they are home of 1 of the 3 remaining Japantowns in the country and that means, they can enjoy Japanese dishes and other products without leaving their city.
Have fun out there!
