Japantown in San Francisco, known as Nihonmachi, or J-Town, is home to 12,000 Japanese-Americans in the city’s Western Addition. Whether you are looking to learn self-defense, get a great massage, or try a nutritious bite to eat, this cultural haven of shops, spas, restaurants, shrines, art, festivals and traditional food markets is a treasure not to be missed.
Martial Arts
Improve your flexibility, self-confidence, coordination and ability to defend yourself with a class in the ancient art of Aikido. Work on punches, kicks, blocks, joint locks and pins during a class in the modern martial art known as Shorinji Kempo. Or, move to the rhythms of Taiko drumming, an art that combines the harmonizing of the mental and physical through a combination of martial arts and music.
Oriental Medicine
Improve your quality of life. Visit an expert in Oriental medicine who will help to diagnose ailments, eliminate symptoms and treat any underlying causes of illness or discomfort. The gentle art of acupuncture can help relieve pain and improve vitality. Herbal remedies, such as ginseng or Angelica, are prescribed in lieu of pharmaceuticals.
Truth Through Flowers
Ikenobo, a school that teaches the art of Ikebana, is a 500-year-old tradition of searching for truth through flowers and plants. This Japanese art of flower arranging is practiced to enrich one’s heart and spirit, find beauty and to appreciate nature and humankind. Visit an Ikenobo Ikebana Society to view flower displays, shop for books, vases or supplies or for an introduction to the school’s programs and cultural events.
Savor the Flavor
Sample the flavorful and nutritious foods found at the numerous Asian restaurants in Japantown. Gather around the hibachi table to see your meal cooked before you, choose sushi from a sushi boat passing in front of your table, order okonomi, a Japanese pancake–or pizza as it is sometimes called–filed with your favorite healthy ingredients. And don’t miss the many choices of curry and noodle dishes. Visit a local market for fresh fish and produce.
Relax
Try a shiatsu pressure point massage for aches and pains or relax in the Japanese communal baths. Put your feet up for a session of reflexology or let your worries go with Anma, a Japanese full-body massage. Or, absorb the essence of Jasmine Frangipani oil followed by a rice skin scrub. Swedish massage, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other Asian body treatments are also available in Japantown.
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