Battle of the Japantowns: San Jose vs. San Francisco

Taking the battle for 4 different rounds, San Jose Japantown goes head to head with San Francisco Japantown to see which reigns supreme. Which will win out?
#sanfrancisco #sanfranciscofoodie #exploresanfrancisco
In San Jose Japantown -
Shuei-Do Manju Shop
217 Jackson Street
San Jose, CA 95112
408-294-4148
Open Tuesdays from 11AM-5PM, Wednesdays to Saturdays from 9AM-5PM, and Sundays from 10AM-4PM
Maruten Ramen
225 Jackson Street
San Jose, CA 95112
408-564-5588
Open Tuesdays through Sundays 11:30AM-2PM for lunch and 5:30-9:30PM for dinner
Banana Crepe
248 Jackson Street
San Jose, CA 95112
408-271-2644
Open Sundays & Tuesdays 9AM-4PM, Wednesdays & Thursdays 9AM-8PM, Fridays & Saturdays 9AM-9PM
7 Bamboo Lounge
162 Jackson Street
San Jose, CA 95112
408-279-9937
Website: 7bamboolounge.com
Open daily from 5PM-2AM, Karaoke starts 9PM Thursdays through Sundays and at 7PM Fridays & Saturdays
In San Francisco Japantown -
Benkyodo Company
1747 Buchanan Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-922-1244
Website: www.benkyodocompany.com
Open Tuesdays through Fridays 8AM-5PM and Saturdays from 8AM-4PM
Hinodeya Ramen Bar
1737 Buchanan Street
San Francisco, CA
Website: hinodeyaramen.com
Open Wednesdays through Mondays from 11:30AM-2:30PM for lunch and 5-10PM for dinner
Uji Time
Japan Center
22 Peace Plaza, #440
San Francisco, CA 94115
628-444-3003
Website: ujitime.weebly.com
Open daily from 12:30-9PM Sundays through Thursdays, 12:30-10PM Fridays & Saturdays
YamaSho Restaurant & Karaoke Private Rooms
1161 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-346-2222
Website: www.yamasho-sf.com
Open daily from 5:30PM-2AM
Music Attributions:
Daily Beetle by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Sadly, another one bites the dust! Maruten Ramen in San Jose Japantown is now closed for business. Hopefully another great ramen place will settle there soon...

[@411curt]

Such a fun video looking at two different Japantowns serving different purposes. Thanks for your enthusiasm and good humor in introducing the public to these wonderful neighborhoods.

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Heya! Looking to make a sequel Japantown Smackdown SJ vs. SF. This will go further afield than just the central Japantown locations. Looking for any recommendations on topics or on places you think would be interesting to cover. Leave comments below please!

[@paulbowers1639]

I really enjoy your video's so thanks

[@FocusedOnJapan]

Very informative. Appreciate it.

[@agbo4088]

This is amazing. I love this.

[@maxsmiley7191]

Love San Jose Japantown, excellent video from a Gorgeous Lady, Thanks

[@deeferan7467]

Thank you for review those place in San Francisco, I’ll be there soon and I want to tryout all.

[@jtatsukawa]

Great video! Nicely done. Video is a little shaky. This can be processed by software to eliminate that shake. I've never heard of that pronunciation of "mochi" before, but I loved the comparisons! And like Keith already said, "shave ice", since Banana Crepe is a Hawaiian version. Subscribing to listen to the other comparisons!

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Thanks for the feedback! :) Interested to learn how to correctly pronounce mochi? I think sometimes there's subtlety in languages that's difficult for the untrained ear to hear!

[@danieldydzak444]

Very informative

[@GAS.MASK1]

I'm in San Jose and I think we lack alot compared to others but that's what sj is all about Making due with what you got and making the best of it

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Absolutely! I love SJ JT exactly because it's so homey!

[@GilAsakawa]

Hi -- as someone who's spent a lot of time visiting both the SF and SJ Japantowns, I enjoyed both of your Smackdown videos and (mostly) agree with your choices. I like both for different reasons -- SJ is so quaint and has a neighborhood feel that I wrote about it describing it as a JA "Mayberry." One suggestion though, for future videos of Japanese food: Please ask a Japanese or JA friend about pronunciations. Many of the dishes and phrases you used were mispronounced. It's a little thing, but notable for people who are familiar with Japanese culture. I appreciate that you apologized in advance in your SJ Vietnam episode, though! (I'm always mangling Vietnamese dishes too!)

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Good suggestion! Will definitely try to do that for any future videos. Better yet would be to find a Japanese friend willing to come along on my filming! I've got lots but none brave enough to be in front of the camera. Ha!

[@GilAsakawa]

@@ZeeneInRealLife If I lived in the Bay Area, I'd meet you anywhere to dine!

[@lockdup]

I put the SF locations on my to-go list!

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Enjoy! There are so many more great Japantown shops and restaurants there that didn't make it to my video so take some time to explore. For shopping I also suggest Sanko Kitchen Essentials on Buchanan for hand-made ceramics and the New People Building for contemporary fashions. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions as you plan your trip :)

[@EatUpCA]

Great video, both are awesome but we have a South Bay bias of course ;-)

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Of course! 😉

[@nahuilegorreta6572]

Up until a year go I lived in Japantown for six years. I definitely miss it.

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

It's such a charming neighborhood!

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

How are you...i was so impressed for your introduction Japanese traditional cake mochi... when i was young go to japan tokyo i.m experience that cake...such a good memory so very delicious... i was unforgettable moments too much... so gorgeous your introduction seems to be funny looks like so happy for you...

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Mochi is my favorite Japanese food. In Taiwan we make small ones that we eat in a hot sweet soup or on cold shaved ice (like patbingsu). That is the best!

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

@@ZeeneInRealLife i.m also same things

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

Thank you so much for you

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

Wow mango mochi also experience over ten years before and Japanese traditional cake kind of many cake so very delicious...look so great your play that song...i wanna go listen to your song...my Chinese favorite song ten mi mi song from dung ri jien...so very beautiful song please singing for me anyway... today Japanese town traveling so gorgeous...

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

My karaoke is not so good but always happy to sing. It makes my heart happy! :)

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

@@ZeeneInRealLife look so great... thank you so much for your comment

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

@@ZeeneInRealLife 我在唱歌 甜蜜蜜 月亮代表我的心 夜来香 每天 学习 和弹钢琴了 真的喜欢 邓丽君 中国最喜欢的 歌手 他是真的美丽的声音了！

[@user-cr1sx4ce4m]

Thank you so much

[@jenniferdragon]

Only 3 left! I’ve been to all of them!

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Which were your favorites?

[@jenniferdragon]

I'll have to say San Jose, but I am biased.

[@richardt1792]

I live in Los Angeles and really like our Japantown. It goes on for a few blocks with a fair number of restaurants, gift shops, and specialty shops. It also has a Mitsuwa Market. Los Angeles also has Japanese communities in Gardena and West Los Angeles on Sawtelle Street. I was disappointed by the Japantown in San Francisco. I found it small, not much to see or do. It was more like a tiny mall. It has been a while since I was there but I found the restaurants uninspiring. I have not been to the one is San Jose. That said, San Francisco definitely has the better Chinatown. Much larger, much to see, a lot of walking up steep streets, very historic.

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

The one in L.A. is pretty good. San Francisco is small (49 square miles) so our communities tend to be packed into tiny spaces. I can see why you might have been disappointed by your visit. SF Japantown actually extends outside of the malls but it's hard to tell as it's not as obvious.

[@keithsadanaga8033]

In Hawaii, it's called Shave Ice not ShaveD Ice. The sign was right behind you.

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Thanks for the correction!

[@PrankstersTV.]

It’s not that serious

[@gumabrassempouy2317]

lmfao ty

[@afomeyahabtamu7022]

What about the sushi?!

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

How about for part 2? Ramen is the trendy thing here right now but should definitely cover traditional fav!

[@dabznslugg9492]

I live walking distance from Japan town in San Jose down town 1. Block away

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Awesome! It's a cute neighborhood.

[@sharkl11]

What are your best recommendations there?

[@brendanboon6548]

@@sharkl11 Hi! Drop by Santo Market or Aloha Fresh for poke. Shuei-Do for mochi/manju. Gombei, Minato, Kaita, & Sushimaru for Japanese food (all solid for different things). Izakaya on 1st is also good. Visit Roy's Coffee during morning or lunch to see the community hang out! JTown in general kinda feels like a living museum, so take the time to walk around and read into the inscriptions on the benches, lot of history on these few short blocks.

[@rabbdogg5738]

MUCH LOVE FROM RABBDOGG BABY RABBDOGG AKA RABBIT FRISCO 415

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

😍

[@jboy2621]

She reminds me of Kristie Yamaguchi? related?

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

What a nice compliment. Nope, not related!

[@japancrazekaijumonsterssna7090]

japan best country

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

I love it too...

[@japancrazekaijumonsterssna7090]

@@ZeeneInRealLife exactly me being a fan of godzilla ultraman and kamen rider proves it more that i love japan

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

You are a true otaku :)

[@japancrazekaijumonsterssna7090]

@@ZeeneInRealLife Thank you :D

[@e.tezani3877]

I moved to Carson City and I miss japantown

[@ZeeneInRealLife]

Come back and visit!