Japan Center

I was surprised I hadn't heard of this mall before. Locating in SF, it is full of everything: food, stores and lots of things coming from Japan!

I came with a friend, and looked around for 3 hours. I copped some cool pencils, and a Cubone pop figure. When it came to lunch, we had Teriyaki and rice; Ramen is also offered here. This was back in October, and outside dining was available.

Next time I come to the city, I will for sure visit Japan Center again!

A Gem for Japanese Culture Enthusiasts, but Parking Tips Needed

The Japan Center Malls at 1737 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115, is a captivating spot for those who adore Japanese culture. Navigating parking can be challenging on the street, but there's a convenient parking garage with reasonable rates. To save money, check if your chosen restaurant validates parking - not all do, so inquire beforehand.

The mall itself is a haven for Japanese culture lovers, offering endless activities. The diverse food options are a highlight, and I'm yet to pick a favorite spot. Keep in mind that there are two entrances, so choose your restaurant wisely. Overall, a wonderful location, but a heads-up on parking can enhance the experience.

This is an INCREDIBLE mall in Japantown! It's got everything you could want: Daiso, bookstore, Japanese housewares, collectibles, and a wide variety of Japanese restaurants and snack shops! It's a fun place to visit. You can find eats for under $10 or splurge on a full sit-down conveyor sushi meal. And gift items also in all ranges. Something for everyone!

Japan Center was right next to the hotel. In fact, it's actually attached.

It's loaded with restaurants, which I'd consider its biggest draw.

It's a loooong center. It takes a while to travel from the hotel to the end of the 'mall' and back.

We found several restaurants worth visiting. We also stopped into many of the shops, which was both fun and interesting.

Japan Center is a bit of a weird anomaly in the middle of Japantown, but worth checking out. If you're not staying in the area I wouldn't make a special trip. If, on the other hand, you are staying close by I recommend stopping in and seeing what might strike your fancy.

We were staying at a hotel next door in Japantown and knew we had to visit Japan Center! The Japan Center is also known as Japan Center Malls, as its really three separate buildings connected to each other. The three buildings together contain several shops, food stands, restaurants, coffee/tea shops, and more! We stopped into a few shops and got some takoyaki at one stall and coffees at another! So many Japanese small businesses to try/support! Definitely fun to explore! Don't miss it if you're in the Japantown area!

We went to the shopping center in Japantown yesterday at San Francisco. My mom got a Black Sesame Soft Serve in a cup, my dad got an Ube Soft Serve in a cup, and I got an Ube Soft Serve with sprinkles and a Biscoff on the top and in a Taiyaki cone with Red Bean Paste inside. This dessert place looks like Somi Somi in Elk Grove and we also saw a Christmas tree with full of origami cranes around.

First and foremost - BRING A MASK! Most stores require a mask for entrance, so we had to hunt for a store that carried them to purchase. I never thought I'd be sporting Hello Kitty fashion accessories (mask), but they did the job!

We came to this mall on a hunt for Anime ... and we were not disappointed! Although many of the shops did not carry what my grandson was looking for - we did find a nice Toy collectibles tucked away that did which made the trip worthwhile.

This is a place to come on an empty stomach - you will find food galore! So many I wanted to try because it looked so good, but we settled on crepes knowing we had a movie to catch.

Overall, this mall was fascinating (not as diverse, stores basically had the same items) and I truly did appreciate the cleanliness and mask requirements. The 3-part mall was nice to explore and parking was an ease to get in, and not too expensive! I'll most likely ONLY go back when I was to sushi hop!

This review is for April 2023.
The Cherry Blossom Festival was held outdoors in the center.

PARKING:
- Hourly rates are between $2 to $3 dollars depending on what time parked.
- The elevators inside the parking lot is pretty slow so allow extra time if you need to be prompt.
- Restrooms are located next to the elevator to the parking garage.

- Restaurants, food stands, Daiso, Kinokuniya Bookstore, other miscellaneous shops and more in this center.
- Nijiya Market, a Japanese grocery store is located on street level.
- Pa'ina Lounge and Restaurant is down the street.
- Hotels are nearby.

It was like a food court. It was fun to walk around there . We ate ramen but taste was way far different from real Japanese ramen and meals . But I love Matcha ice cream at Maiko . The Taste is good as a real Japanese matcha ice cream as usual.

Shopping! [Japantown, San Francisco]

I love the stores here... they just make me want to explore. Daiso is in the East Mall but many of the stores and restaurants I like are in the West Mall. Daiso has plenty ideas for stocking stuffers... lots of trinkets and Japanese candy. One can easily stuff even a huge stocking. I love wandering down the aisles. This location is huge.

I found some great gift ideas here in Japan Center. I stopped by a bookstore, a women's clothing boutique, jewelry, cosmetics, and children's gifts. Katachi has a nice collection of swords and knives. Mai Do is a store that carries high quality calligraphy supplies, stationeries and specialty papers. There are also stores for music lovers... one selling ukeleles and a lot of "island" merchandise and another store selling Japanese instruments like the koto.

While Japan Center is currently operating and remain open during Purple Tier restrictions (worst tier) there are some strict guidelines the public must adhere to while inside the mall -- wear masks and keep appropriate distance from each other. The Japan Center malls (East and West) are open to foot traffic and holiday shopping although the retail stores are limited to 20% capacity from normal. Each store has posted instructions and guidelines upon entering so just be aware of them. The restaurants are also open, though only for take out and delivery. No indoor dining and the public is advised to not eat inside the malls.

There you go...

Review #2048