Japan Center

Fun place for lunch or dinner, desserts or drinks. I’ve been shopping and eating at this mall for over 20 years and it’s great for groups, families, date night and girls night out. They have everything from restaurants, bars, dessert places, arcades, stores, karaōke and picture businesses. I’ve been patronizing the bookstore, Mifune, the auto store and Isobune since my teens. My only complaint is the lack of restrooms but I still love the mall for keeping the Japanese culture alive and well.

Japan Center houses one of my favorite karaōke bars. Other than that, I haven’t been to Japan Center much during the day. But it’s a fun place to soak up the shops Japantown has to offer.
Recently, I dropped by for a friend’s birthday to have dinner at Benihana. Sure it’s cheesy, but it was a lot of fun. Where else can you watch knife and cooking skills in action? It’s entertainment while you dine! We also stopped by Mogura for sake beforehand and Festa afterwards for some karaōke. Festa is always a blast and I adore their employees. They definitely make for a fun and festive environment.
There’s a good amount of shops that I adore. Daiso is a great place for cheap shopping. Nijiya market is awesome for Japanese goodies and treats. If you’re craving dessert, stop by Sophie’s for a delicious crêpe.
There are so many more stores and restaurants I’ve never explored in Japan Center. Writing this review makes me wanna visit them more often. Who knows what cute store I’ll stumble upon.

Japan Center is the heart of San Francisco Japantown. To many, Japan Center *is* Japantown. It makes sense since Japan Center takes up about three of Japantown’s six blocks. Technically, Japan Center is the indoor-​outdoor shopping center that stretches east-​west from Laguna to Fillmore. There are three malls (Kinokuniya, Kintetsu, Miyako) with plenty of Japanese shops and restaurants plus other businesses such as a hotel, grocery store, and movie theater. The Japantown pagoda sits in between the malls.
For years, Japan Center has been one of my favorite places to visit in San Francisco. The property opened in 1968 and is definitely showing its age. To my recollection, virtually nothing has changed about this place since my first visit in the 90s. While there’s nothing wrong with it, the design and architecture feel drab. It’s always been like that and could certainly use a renovation/​update. What makes Japan Center special are the unique shops and authentic restaurants with great tasting and oftentimes affordable food.
Just off the top of my head, restaurants I’ve enjoyed here include:
* Bushi-​Tei Bistro — unfortunately, this restaurant is now closed.
* Café Hana — their fresh mochi is phenomenal.
* Isobune — conveyor-​belt sushi in boat form! I love this place.
* Kushi Tsuru — Japanese eats. I liked their tonkatsu.
* Sophie’s Crepes — delicious, made-​to-​order crepes.
* Suzu Noodle House — reliable ramen, udon, and more.
* Tanpopo — ramen shop on the north side of Japan Center.
There are many more restaurants in Japan Center than I’ve mentioned above. I’d love to try them all, but it’s difficult because I’ve found myself going back to certain ones (e.g. Isobune, Suzu) that my family members or I really like.
Memorable stores include:
* Auto Freak — car accessories.
* Japan Video and Media
* Kinokuniya Bookstore — SF location of this Japanese bookstore chain.
* Nijiya Market — SF location of this Japanese grocery chain.
* Nippon Ya — great store for packaged snacks to give as gifts.
* Taiyodo Record Shop — is this place still open? I haven’t checked recently.
Of course, the center has toy stores with cute Japanese toys and purikura photo sticker booths. Some of the shops and restaurants look spiffier than others, mainly because they are newer tenants. Stepping into the stores of older tenants, such as Japan Video and Media for example, is like taking a small trip back in time. I’ve always liked browsing the selection of videos at Japan Video and Media, particularly their animé inventory. I noticed on one visit they had pictures of people cosplaying around Japan Center.
Speaking of cosplay, Japan Center hosts a variety of events, one of which is the San Francisco Animé & Cosplay Festival which was last held on Saturday, July 18, 2015. Other events have included sumo wrestling exhibitions, origami exhibits, and traditional Japanese festivals with taiko drums, folk dancing, calligraphy, and more.
The hotel here is Hotel Kabuki and the movie theater is the Sundance Kabuki (formerly an AMC theater). I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) at the Sundance Kabuki. It’s one of my sister’s favorite movie theaters in San Francisco because there is food, drink, wide and spacious rows, and best of all, reserved seating and plentiful parking.
Japan Center has two parking garages. The main garage is accessible via either Post or Geary and the annex garage, near the movie theater, is accessible via Fillmore. For a parking garage in the city, the rates are quite reasonable.
Japan Center main parking garage rates, per hour:
* Midnight to 9am — $ 1.50
* 9am to noon — $ 2.00
* Noon to 3pm — $ 3.50
* 3pm — 6pm — $ 2.00
* 6pm — midnight — $ 2.50
Various businesses at Japan Center will validate so you can save money on parking. For a list of validations, parking rates, parking hours, current number of available parking spaces, and more, visit:
. The main parking garage is well-​lit and there are attendants on duty. I’ve never parked in the annex garage.

I’ve been going to the Japan Center for a long time and I’ve always been fascinated with the place ever since my family stopped over here to have dinner at Benihana when I was a kid. And when I was in college, I always went to Laser Mikado to pick up the latest J-​pop CDs. Of course a lot has changed since then and my interests have shifted more towards food instead of animé and J-​pop.
I have to give a lot of credit to the restaurants Izumiya, On The Bridge, and Mifune Don. They’re special to me because they expanded my horizons on Japanese Cuisine that it’s not just all about sushi and bento boxes. They introduced me to okonomiyaki and curry which to this day are still some of my favorite comfort foods. And a whole slew of new restaurants have opened up here in recent years: Udon Mugizo, Suzu Noodle House, Mifune Bistro, and Ramen Underground. This recent resurgence of restos have actually helped bring in a lot more foot traffic into the Japan Center. Plus, I’m always picking up some snacks and sushi at Nijiya Market and always checking out Nippon Ya for some classy perishable gifts.
They’ve finally opened up an arcade with Playland Japan Arcade. Something that I’ve be hoping for a long time. Might be too little too late for me, but at least they have one now.
And for recently for the last few years, Festa has become me weekly karaōke hangout. It’s become sort of like my Cheers where the regulars and staff know me on first name basis and welcome me in all the time.
Last thing to mention is that during both the Cherry Blossom Festival and Tomodachi Festival are when this place really shines. Although it’s super crowded, it’s a sight to see especially during the CBF parade.
I’m happy to see Japan Center is still going strong after all these years. It’s still one of my favorite places in SF to take my out of town friends and family when they come by to visit.

This mall is a lot of fun. I don’t speak, understand or read Japanese so it was like a surprise in every store for me lol
I went into every store that was open and they are mostly pretty random stuff in every store. The book store was my favorite. It’s huge and has a lot of stuff you can’t find anywhere else. There’s a lot of sushi restaurants, and a Benihana’s. There’s a really great bakery and a coffee place. Fun to walk around and check stuff out. I bought a lot of snacks and things I’ve never seen but enjoyed very much.

This place is definitely one for the locals. If you were a tourist, I don’t think you would ever notice this place. Yes, there is a large pagoda in the Peace Park portion, but there is actually a mall on both sides of this park that spans a block on each side. It’s full of restaurants, dessert places, and small shops with trinkets and art. There is also a book store and arcade.
You’ve got to stop by «Belly Good» for their cute animal crepes.

When you come into Japantown, then you will come in the Japan Center. It compromises more than 75% of all the Japanese shops and restaurants. Divided into two separate malls, you will find many shops with purely Japanese products. Because I’m half Japanese, I can spend a whole lot of time here. For most folks, half a day will be all you need. Make sure you try Japanese food that isn’t sushi too.

Love love love! Great shops, great restaurants. I cant wait to go back and stock up on some more beauty masks from the Face Shop and have lunch at our favorite spot Kushi Tsuru!

Good variety of stores & restaurants (Japanese of course). The Daisho Store is no longer the dollar store, price went up to $ 1.50
Very clean surroundings until you hit the Main Street. You can see the difference!

When I went to Japantown, I was frustrated I hadn’t seen all of it and that’s because of how wonderful a place the center is!
We went to a sushi place that had a glass case of noodles and sushi made out of a sort of clay or something, and one of them had fake chopsticks suspended in the air stiffly, carrying a bunch of ramen noodles on top. Wonderful food, best sake maki (salmon roll) I have ever tasted, and good décor and ambience. I forget what it is called, but you can clearly see it because of the glass case.
Also stopped by a shop across by that had models of animé figures and important characters, but the Fairy Tail poster to hang on my wall was too pricey for me. The prices were pretty high, but it was fun to visit nonetheless.
An AMAZING Japanese bookstore was inside the mall and I picked out the 2^nd copy of Shugo Chara there :)
I LOVE JAPANTOWN!!!

Interesting range of shops with Japanese theme. The automotive shop seemed to have more air fresheners that auto stuff. There was a shop with Japanese sweets and pink Kit Kats. Plenty of restaurants here, including Teppanyaki and noodles. Origami features in a few stores. We bought bows and hair clips at a shop that sold jewellery, feathers etc

I love this place. I’ve visited as often as I could, even though not much changes– because it’s like a yearly tradition to meet here. There are plenty of little shops to stop by and browse (you cannot take photos of their merchandise though). and There are a lot of restaurants offering great food!)
Most things that are authentic Japanese are not cheap– don’t expect any different here. It’s a popular attraction to come here in general.
Parking is hard to find, and if you find any– beware of street cleaning days as well as appropriate times to park.

Fun shopping center filled with Japanese food and culture. Lots of cools shops and nice restaurants. Some stores to visit include Kinokuniya, Daiso, and Ichibankan. Some food ideas include Ino Sushi, Mifune Don, and Belly Good Café.

Japan Center is a fun mall to shop with lots of cool and fun stuff to see in just about every price point. Then there are the restaurant s… and kabuki spa and a grocery downstairs. For me this can be an all day thing.
The architecture is definitely Japanese it has a bridge lined with shops between the first two blocks then an open plaza before the last.
BTW don’t miss the last block. It houses Daiso an outpost of a Japanese chain where almost everything is $ 1.50. It’s surprising what all you can find there.

Never would have known about this place if I hadn’t been staying right next to it. Lovely open pavilion area, two mini malls with lots of restaurants and places to shop (I didn’t really check those out, so can’t say much about them), and a small market that was a g-​dsend to us. This is also the best deal for parking in the area.
While we were there, they hosted the Cherry Blossom Festival, and it was great. So many vendors, dancers, entertainment… It was a great time!
Also has a bit of the historical dork factor (of which I am one)…Lots of panels to read and learn about the Japanese culture and immigrant experience in SF.

There are actually two sides to Japan Center (East & West Malls), located at the heart of San Francisco’s historic Japantown (Nihonmachi) neighborhood. The East and West Malls are centered between the Japantown Peace Pagoda, which is the five tiered concrete stupa located between Post and Geary Streets at Buchanan.
Both malls are home to cultural and shopping destinations, as well as restaurants. Plus, there are plenty of dessert options to munch on as you walk around the place. I generally try to stop by the Japan Center, whenever I visit SF.
EAST MEETS WEST
Here’s a directory of current businesses located within Japan Center.
— East (
)
— West (
)
The West Mall does have a lot more stores, so it only adds to the fact that the West Side is the Best Side. But, there’s plenty of things to do, see, and eat — so take advantage of the amenities and have fun.

What can I say it’s Japan Center (Jap~Sen) or Japan Town. The businesses I frequent are: Nijiya, Kinokuniya Books, Festa, Tanpopo, Ino Sushi, Akabana, Anderson Bakery, Takara, Mums, New People and (cinema), Ichi-​ban Kan & Daiso.
Sundays are Cos-​play days and there’s a Kimono Sunday but I cant remember it its the 1^st or 3^rd Sunday of the month.

There is a lot offered in the way of shopping. Many different stores to appease both the regular shopper and the tourist alike. There are fantastic places to eat. Too many to mention. The courtyard is a nice place to hang out for awhile and people watch and appreciate the sites. They do have festivals there as well.

God do I take our city for granted.
I forgot to ride the cable car. To go to Fisherman’s wharf. To walk the streets of our amazing Chinatown. Some of my fellow Unilocalers are really good at constantly making us aware of how great a city San Francisco is… and we are lucky they do.
Japan center is such a great mixture of shopping and dinning it is unbelievable. From sushi, noodles, confections… they’re are myriad dinning options.
They’re are so many places to buy all things Japanese: Plates, bowls chopsticks, artwork, etc sooooo much.
I was blown away how many tourists were there on a Sunday… and they were right… it is a great place to shop and visit!

One of my favorite places in all of SF is definitely Japantown! I enjoying walking around in that area checking out the different stores & trying the food, of course!
Some of the highlights of Jtown:
*Sophie’s Crepes — yummy crepes, it’s still my #1 place for crepes.
*PikaPika — taking those overly cute pictures where you can decorate on their machines.
*Benihana — teppanyaki style of Japanese restaurant (get on their birthday e-​list so you can get a $ 30 bday certificate during your bday month)
*Suzu Noodle House — yum ramen place.
*Daiso — lots of cute stuff to buy for very low prices; it’s like a Japanese dollar store basically.
*New People — neato shopping building to check out their cool stuff but it’s definitely way too expensive. So far the last several times I’ve been there — the art exhibit is still closed. :(
*the Supermarket — lots of Asian stuff to buy & they carry Hello Kitty wines! Ooh la la… ;)
They have a garage where you can pay to park or just try to find street parking which is not too difficult. But do not park at the Safeway parking lot especially if you know for sure that you’re going to be staying at Jtown longer than 1hr cause if you do park there– for sure expect your car to disappear cause it will get towed. Learn from my mistake, people. expensive mistake indeed. smh. =/