daily: 10am-12am; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years Day
Home to a movie theater, 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.
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.
The Japan Center includes a hotel and two public garages with discounted validated parking.
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