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JapanTown (日本町 - Nihonmachi) in San Francisco, along with the other two JapanTowns in the USA ( Los Angeles and San Jose ), is an opportunity to experience a bit of Japan in the USA. Unlike the other JapanTowns, this one has a Daiso Store. I'll go into more detail about what exactly a Daiso Store is later.
On our USA West Coast trip , JapanTown in San Francisco was the last city we visited. Before that, we visited San Diego, Los Angeles and San Jose. You can find the other JapanTown reports here.
JapanTown in San Francisco
Compared to JapanTown in Los Angeles, this one is a bit smaller and less visited. I think many Japanese / Asians go here to shop and eat occasionally at the many restaurants. It's definitely not a major tourist attraction like in Los Angeles. But that doesn't mean that JapanTown in San Francisco isn't interesting. This JapanTown has a lot to offer. Many restaurants, karaoke bars, a Japanese supermarket, Daiso Store and also a small mall. So everything that makes a Japan-fan's heart beat faster. I think you can spend an afternoon here, but not a whole day, as it's not that big.
Restaurants in JapanTown San Francisco
Unfortunately, we made a mistake when choosing the restaurant... As you can read below, the restaurant visit in JapanTown San Francisco was not satisfactory. The service was ok and the food was also mediocre and not worth the price. Very very unfortunate. However, I'm sure there are some very good restaurants there. You definitely have a wide selection in terms of the number of restaurants. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time in San Francisco, so we couldn't visit many restaurants. We will definitely catch up on that on our next visit.
The restaurant we visited in JapanTown San Francisco was unfortunately a disappointment... I very rarely say that, but if I don't like the food and the service, I have to give my honest opinion about it. Therefore, unfortunately, no recommendation from me. The Google reviews stand: 24.02.2020 with 3.5 already say a lot. Too bad :/
Although the Izakaya is a bit away from JapanTown San Francisco, it is highly recommended if you want to invest a bit more money. Here's a detailed report.
This restaurant is even recommended by Michelin!
Daiso (100Yen Shop) in San Francisco
The largest Japanese 100Yen Shop in San Francisco! Daiso is the largest chain for 100Yen products. You can find 1-3 stores in almost every city in Japan. In contrast to the German 1€ shops, you can also find very good quality products. Most Japanese people actually go to the 100Yen shops because they sell many everyday items. Would you like some examples?
- Cup Noodles (Instant Ramen, Soba, Yakisoba & Udon)
- Japanese tableware ¥100-¥500
- Japanese cosmetics
- Stationery (pens, paper, music pads, calendars, rulers, etc.)
- Small bags
- Wallets
- Kitchen utensils (good knives, cutlery, chopsticks, pots, sieves, etc.)
- Gift paper, boxes, packaging
- Postcards, letters in many different styles, colours and patterns
- Toys
- Drinks, sweets
- and much more!
Japanese Supermarket in San Francisco
As in the other JapanTowns in Los Angeles and San Jose, there's also a Japanese supermarket here. You can find everything you'd expect in a supermarket here. From Japanese vegetables , fruits , fish / meat, bentos , sandwiches , drinks, sweets to cosmetics.
Conclusion
While this JapanTown in San Francisco isn't as big and comprehensive as the one in Los Angeles , it's definitely worth a visit if you're already in San Francisco. For those who want to visit a JapanTown, I would recommend the one in Los Angeles . It's bigger, has more restaurants, many merchandise shops, a bakery and much more. But Little Tokyo in San Francisco has a Daiso!
Thank you for reading this post all the way through. Have a nice day :)
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