Japan Center
The Japan Center is at the heart of San Francisco's Japantown and one of its most cherished attractions. The center is comprised of two shopping malls, the Kinokuniya Building and the iconic, 100-foot-tall Peace Pagoda. The center is filled with unique cultural and mainstream shopping and dining opportunities. Native Japanese plants decorated the hallways and grounds of the Japan Center, giving it an exotic and one of a kind feel.
Japan Center
1610 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94115
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
Every April, Japantown celebrates the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. The events take place over the course of two weekends, beginning with the Queen Program on the festival's first Saturday and concluding with the Grand Parade on the festival's second Sunday. The festival focuses around the budding cherry blossoms and features a bi-cultural atmosphere of peace and harmony. Japanese music, entertainment and art are displayed, and food and souvenirs can be purchased at street fair and food booths.
nccbf.org
Nihonmachi Street Fair
The Nihonmachi Street Fair takes over all of Japantown for one weekend every August. The fair is a celebration of Japanese and other Asian cultures within the San Francisco Bay Area. Food, art, music and people fuse together for a cultural experience in the name of unity and perseverance. Numerous Asian-American bands perform free concerts, ranging from hip-hop to jazz to traditional folk.
nihonmachistreetfair.org
Article Written By Patrick M. Lind
Patrick M. Lind has been freelance writing since 2007 and has worked as an editor and journalist for ChicagoSporting.com. He received a Master of Arts in history from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Middle East.
