1737 Post Street
(Between Geary and Fillmore Sts.)
(415) 922-6776
Home to a movie theater, shops, bars, an excellent spa and
shops selling Japanese furnishings, clothes, cameras, pearls and
porcelain, Nihonmachi — better known as the Japan
Center — is most notable for what's inside it, rather than for
its somewhat drab exterior.
Noted American architect Minoru Yamasaki created the
three-block-long, 5-acre complex, which opened in 1968. The
plaza is landscaped with traditional Japanese style gardens and
reflecting pools and its open courtyards are the center of the
yearly Cherry Blossom Festival each April, featuring taiko
drumming, a parade, martial arts demonstrations, music and lots
of freshly grilled Asian street foods.
Every August, the Nihonmachi Street Fair celebrates the
contributions made by Asian Americans in the United States.
The AMC Kabuki 8 Theater, home to the annual San Francisco
International Asian American Film Festival, is a popular
destination for locals. Grab a bowl of thick, white udon
noodles, soba (thin buckwheat noodles) or sushi before
showtime at one of several restaurants, many offering delicious
dinners for under $10. Take your choice from the edibles
displayed in a window near the front door, Japanese style:
shellacked plastic miniatures, or full color photos offer a
tempting glimpse. At the sushi bar at Isobune, on the second
floor of the Kintetsu building, plates of lovingly crafted sushi
and sashimi rest on tiny boats which float by customers, who
take what they want and pay per plate at the end of the meal.
The center's Peace Plaza and five-story Pagoda were designed
by Tokyo architect Yoshiro Taniguchi as a gesture of goodwill
from the people of Japan. The original design of Professor
Taniguchi, an authority on Japanese buildings, has undergone
some puzzling "improvements" over the years to
detrimental effect; nevertheless, the yagura (wooden drum
tower) that spans the entrance to the mall and the copper-roofed
Peace Walkway between the Tasamak Plaza and Kintetsu buildings
are still worth a look. The Pagoda draws on the 1,200-year-old
tradition of miniature round pagodas dedicated to eternal peace.
The buildings lining the traffic-free, open-air mall are of
the Shoji school of architecture, encompassing one city block.
Looking for a place to cool your heels? Take a break on the twin
origami-style fountains in the middle of the mall. Designed by
local artist Ruth Asawa, the fountains are squat circular
structures made of fieldstone, with three levels for sitting and
a brick floor that doubles as a drain.
Located one mile west of Union Square, the Japan Center
includes a hotel (the Miyako, at Post and Laguna, with a
picturesque Japanese garden) and 2 public garages with discounted
validated parking.
Hours:
The Japan Center is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas
and New Years Day.
Most shops: 10-6
Most restaurants: 11-9
Most cocktail lounges and karaoke bars:
open 'til midnight
