Postcards

Postcard from Japantown

Ruth Asawa Fountains

Stopped by Japantown the other day when I arrived early to meet some friends for dinner. Japantown is part of San Francisco’s failed redevelopment of the Western Addition. The sad history of this neighborhood has been well documented in several books. The mall, known as Japan Center, was designed by a number of architects, including Minorou Yamasaki. Over the years, it has fallen into a mishmash of Asian clichés. From a design perspective, the greatest achievement of the complex is the way light fills the upper reaches of the interior.

Despite the hubris of the whole project, I enjoy visiting the one block of Buchanan Street between Post and Sutter Streets, designed by Rai Okamoto. Artist Ruth Asawa created two folded metal fountains along the stream of stones. Whether there is water or not, they look timeless.

Ruth Asawa Fountains

Several modest ramen places line the block. There are several more modest Asian-themed restaurants nearby. A relatively recent addition is Nari, a high-end Thai restaurant located at the base of the Kabuki Hotel. One of my favorite restaurants in the city.

Despite the hardships of the Covid recession, three businesses on this one block are worth visiting. If you need anything from an inexpensive lantern to a wrench, one of the oldest businesses in Japantown (since 1925), Soko Hardware, can take care of you. Two floors full of Japanese cleaning supplies, tansu hardware, and flower scissors, as well as modestly priced housewares, make this a one-stop shop for the holidays. (Parking in the Japan Center is close by.)

Soko Hardware

At the other end of the block is a store with a much more limited supply of housewares, fancier and more austerely displayed (aka curated). Sanko Kitchen Essentials is the kind of store architects and designers love. If you didn’t find that perfect little hostess gift at Soko, be sure and stop in here.

Sanko Kitchen Essentials

Next door is Forest Books, a surprise that doesn’t exactly have an Asian theme. But the owner, Gregory Wood, carefully curates the books he sells. One area of specialty is Zen Buddhism. This is the kind of bookstore every village needs.