JAPANTOWN The oldest of only three remaining Japantowns in the country, this next-door neighbor to the Fillmore is packed with cultural and culinary delights. The five-tiered Peace Pagoda towers over Peace Plaza , which plays host to community celebrations throughout the year, including the Northern California Cherry Blossom SEE & DO Peace Pagoda Festival in April and the Nihonmachi Street Fair in August. Get a crash course in Japanese culture at the Japan Center , a shopping mall bursting with restaurants, tea shops and stores selling everything from authentic kimonos to bonsai. Kabuki Springs & Spa offers Japanese-style bathing followed by another relaxing import from Japan: shiatsu massage. ribs smothered with cheese — a Korean delicacy. Snag a coveted reservation for one of Yuji ’s nine seats for a masterful 12-course meal featuring bites like A5 wagyu, sea urchin and rare fish imported from Japan. And you can’t visit Japantown without nibbling a slice of coffee crunch cake from Yasukochi’s Sweet Shop . EAT & DRINK Japantown’s cultural menu ranges from Japanese staples like sushi, ramen, manjū and shabu-shabu to Thai, Korean and more. If a steaming bowl of noodles sounds good, Hinodeya Ramen , Marufuku Ramen and Udon Mugizo are all great bets. The signature dish at Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup is braised beef The hip Hotel Kabuki fits in perfectly with its environment and has its own MICHELIN-starred restaurant, Nari . The art-filled Mansion on Sutter brings five-star accommodations to an opulent home from San Francisco’s golden age of Victorian architecture. WHERE TO STAY Neighborhood Voice “San Francisco is a city of innovation,” says Masao Kuribara , owner of Hinodeya Ramen . “So, I took up the challenge and I opened the first dashi ramen restaurant in the United States.” Discover why Masao believes Japantown to be the heart of the city. Find Your Heart 30 . sftravel.com William Fawcett fotoVoyager.com; Estevan Padilla
San Francisco Visitors Planning Guide 2025 VPG: Page 30
