Japantown

Japantown: one of my favorite places to be in San Francisco. It's a place to eat, hang out with friends, shop, and to learn something about the Japanese culture.

First of all, the food is exquisite. I haven't been to another place in San Francisco with Japanese food as delicately prepared. Located all around the mall, the amount of options between the restaurants that are offered are unlimited. Ranging from sizzling seafood to the traditional udon, everyone could find something to satisfy their appetite. One restaurant even has professional cooks that prepare the meals right before your eyes. The food is absolutely delicious and scrumptious, to the point that when it enters your mouth, you would immediately dive in the plate for more. Plus, there are various vendors and snack stores to go to whenever you're hungry. If you don't feel like having a meal, you can always settle for a small crepe roll.

Secondly, the stores are utterly amazing. Not only are there groceries and souvenirs, but also a wide range of multimedia and hobby stores. The majority of the stores you'll find are full of Japanese merchandise, many directly imported from Japan. This factor makes the majority of the products quite expensive. But don't let the price intimidate you, it's worth it. An absolute favorite is the Kinokuniya bookstore, which is located in the first floor mall. It's sort of like a mini-Borders bookstore, except with a Japanese theme. If you are a manga lover, it's an ideal place to get your books to add to your collection. Their books, unlike Borders, have not been tampered with, and are in prime condition. You can practically find any manga series you can think of there. There is also the insane load of music albums and videos that you can find. Not only in Kinokuniya, but they are also found in other multimedia stores throughout the mall. You can locate any Asian music artist in the stores, and easily pick out any Japanese DVD that comes to your mind.

Lastly, no one can ever forget the special event that happens in Japantown every year around April, can they? It's the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco. Each year, around 200,000 people attend the celebration to honor the Japanese tradition. There are many booths, some with food and others with games. Throughout the bustling crowds of people, one can enjoy the lively and fun atmosphere. On the last day of the festival, there is a grand parade that runs through Japantown, starting at Sutter Street. The parade consists of an extravagant display of Japanese folk dancers, young kids doing martial arts, Taiko drummers, and the gorgeous Cherry Blossom Queen candidates. One cannot miss such a long parade, for it lasts for the entire afternoon without stop. During that time, people celebrate the coming together of cultures and embrace theirs with the Japanese, getting to know the colors of the Japan.

Looking back, I've been to Japantown too many times to even keep count. Whenever I have free time to spare, Japantown is something is often pops into my head. I love Japantown, because it usually has everything I could ever want, packed into a mall consisting of only two street blocks. Personally, I've bought various manga and music albums from Kinokuniya. Other than multimedia accessories, I've also eaten out with several of my friends at different restaurants each time to switch the taste around. In the case of the Cherry Blossom Festival, this year will be my fourth year attending. It's quite crowded; believe me, I often had trouble trying to find a good spot to watch the parade. But, it's all in good fun. I absolutely can't wait to see the parade once again on April 20^th. Hope to see you there.

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