Community

Comparison
Wilson
Yeung
Amirah
Christina
Qureshi
Chen
Wilson
Carmen
Leung
Ye
San Francisco - Chinatown and
Japantown

Origins

North Beach

Both Chinatown and

Japantown owe their
current locations to the
1906 earthquake and
Financial consequent fire.

district

Nob
Hill

Downtown

Located in Western Addition

neighborhood of SF.
After the 1906 fire, Japanese settled in
this area after their homes all over the
city were burned down.

Immigration
Patterns

Networks and Institutions

Chinese family/district
associations
Japanese kenjin-kiai

Ethnic associations that

provide social services
for new immigrants and
subsequent generations

Chinatown
Many first-generation
immigrants who have kids in
US and later sponsor their
own parents to immigrate

Family
Networks
Japantown
Oldest generation
of Japanese
families in SF =
nissei, 2nd
generation
Rely more on
daycares

Physical Structures
Commercial/business
Residential

Mainly shops & some non-profits

 Chinatown
Deep roots in traditions
and superstitions from
the homeland: lion
dancing, Moon Cake
Festival

Japantown
A few cultural
celebrations annually:
Cherry Blossom
Festival, Anime Street
Pavilion

Pervasiveness of
Culture

T
O
U
R
I
S
M

Commodification

The reality of Chinatown is that there are two Chinatowns:

One belongs to the locals, the other charms the
tourists.
-sfgate.com
"I sensed there was an understanding of the importance of
Japantown to San Francisco as a cultural destination and
an incredibly important center for the Japanese
community. And of course, being one of the three
remaining Japantowns in the U.S., it's critical that we save
it.
-Gavin Newsom, mayor