Kintetsu Mall

The mall looked really cute with its Japanese décor. The mall is split into an east and west wing with a courtyard splitting the two wings.

The shops were boutiques that have really expensive stuff, but there were plenty of authentic knick knacks and misc. items to buy: kimonos, scriptures, tea sets, etc.

A worthy mention: Daiso Japan was also in this mall located in the east wing at the lower level leading to the courtyard. There was also the store Ichiban Kan that was fun to browse in, but compared to Daiso, their products were way too expensive. Lol.

There is a corridor where most of the restaurants will be located at if you get hungry. I can't remember exactly, but I believe both wings have a good variety of restaurant options.

This mall is pretty clean until you get to the bathrooms. Homeless people use it to clean themselves, there is also no ventilation. It's nice that they clean it twice a day but the really need to add ventilation....ventilation in the entire mall.

This is an okay Japan center. A lot of things are over priced, the food is definitely not that great. There isn't really a good boba place either.

Honestly, Chinatown is much better.

#4/2016

Not in the Brutalist style but the equally charmless 1960s box architecture of the same era squarely situated in the heart of Japantown where you'll find the Kinokuniya and Kintetsu Malls otherwise known as the Japantown Center.

Inside, there are scores of stores selling everything from Japanese wood sculptures to kimonos, dolls, trinkets, anime and salons and plenty of restaurants.

Japantown Center offers an eclectic array of goods and is ideal for strolling and waiting for inspiration to strike- or if you're like me, being very directional and making a beeline for a favorite kimono store that's "on the bridge" connecting the two malls.

The mall itself is slightly rundown. There's no music, no decorations, shabby floors and scuffed up stairwells. It's best described as "utilitarian."

Teenagers roam in happy, harmless packs (there's at least one math learning center at the mall) and moms with strollers suddenly stop mid-course as the world's sloppiest security guard ambles by with his shirt askew.

This is the perfect place to go on a rainy day especially to grab steaming hot bowls of ramen at any one of the 15+ restaurants inside the Kintetsu mall.

If the weather's pleasant, head outdoors to Peace Plaza and meditate on this slightly melancholy space that feels world's away from the bustle of the City.

Before 6pm, metered street parking's fairly easy to find and even better, there's inexpensive ($2/hour) parking under the Center and most businesses validate, too.

If you're heading home, stop across the street at Soko Hardware for Japanese cook/dishware or grab some groceries or a Bento box at Nijiya Market on the corner of Post & Webster.

Awesome mall with a lot of Japanese restaurants and stores. I really enjoy coming to this mall

Kintetsu Mall is the highlight of San Francisco's Japantown. They have really good restaurants in there, purikura (those picture things) for those who like that, creperies, toy stores, a huge bookstore, karaoke bars, and many more.

There are a lot of places where visitors can take great pictures and view fine art as well.

Japantown or "JTown" as we like to call it affectionately, is home to tons of little restaurants and noodle shops to try. Kintetsu Mall is just a part of this amazing enclave of all things great and Japanese. You can find restaurants like Benihana, Isobune, Mifume and we discovered this room of Japanese photo booths to try our best Asian pop star impressions.

Anytime we crave a bowl of noodles after a long day's work, my sister and I drive over to the Kintetsu Mall and find parking easily underground ($1.75 an hour I think, and street parking is doable if you spend a little time looking for it). We like trying the different noodle shops and then wandering thru the cute stores selling kawaii afterward.

Granted, the place isn't as shiny as a Westfield Mall, but if you're looking for a friendly ethnic enclave and their good food, you got it. Oh, and the area's many karaoke bars leak the happy sounds into the night and entertain the young masses. How can you not love that?

Lots of great places to eat.

A great place to walk around.

There are so many stores with so many tiny things you'll probably never use.

best place to go to eat or buy manga love it the stores are amazing great place to go find figurines or collectibles or items of a certain series

Many great shops here! This side of Japantown has the snack shops such as crepes, boba, and taiyaki. Lots of souvenir shops, the Kinokuniya bookstore, Maido stationery, and many snacks to try. Nijiya Market is located right outside of the Kintetsu Mall. However, the bathrooms aren't too great and you can tell that the building itself is getting old. Other than that, the shops here are great and I highly recommend coming here.

Kintetsu Mall is an old small mall in San Francisco filled with Japanese stores in JapanTown. Although the mall is a little dim, with moderate decorations and non modern design, I still love the stores in Kintetsu Mall because many of them design their storefront beautifully and culturally to match the Japanese culture.

I'd say the restaurants were moderate, even though the decoration is beautiful. It's hard to find a mini Japanese city in the middle of San Francisco though, so come here when you visit Japantown in San Francisco! It's definitely a cultural place that you might just love!