San Francisco, California - Asian Culture

San Francisco's Chinatown

This is a panorama of San Francisco's Chinatown from the front of the Chinese Cultural Center. The famous neighborhood extends from the foreground for several blocks up the steep hill. "Little Italy" is just north, adjacent to the right. The Financial District with its skyscrapers is behind the Cultural Center.

The Cultural Center offers excellent day tours of Chinatown for a very reasonable rate. An "authentic" lunch is included with the tour. Tours are available by 24 hour advance reservation with a minimum of 4 participants per tour. Call (415) 986-1822 for more information.

This colorful, and crowded, street scene is typical of Chinatown. The streets are narrow and congested, filled by both tourists and locals, and have a unique vibrancy. Each block is crammed with an endless variety of small shops ranging from those selling herbal medicines to the finest jewelry. The predominant shops appeared to be those relating to food: restaurants and markets. The fresh fish markets with their endless varieties of fish were especially fantastic. Many varieties of exotic fruit and vegetables were found at the produce markets. An outstanding experience for those who enjoy the unusual.

Chinatown is teeming with little backalleys such as the one shown at right. These alleys are clean and safe, and sometimes there are surprises waiting to be found in them.

Our first suprise was the "fortune cookie" factory tucked into a tiny alley. We were invited in to watch how the cookies are made and to sample and purchase! their wares.

The second surprise this day was a beautiful one-room Buddhist temple hidden in another alley. Although it is an active, practicing temple, we were permitted to enter and observe.

San Francisco's Japanese Tea Garden

In contrast to Chinatown, the Japanese Tea Garden has an atmosphere which is peaceful and idyllic, a pleasing change of pace. The garden is lushly and beautifully landscaped in the Japanese style, including bonsai, cherry trees, ponds, statuary, and pagodas. Of course, there is also a tea house where one can drink tea while enjoying the scenery. The garden is located in Golden Gate Park along with numerous other gardens, a great arboretum, art museums, and the numerous museums of the California Academy of Sciences. A great park in the heart of a great city!