Did you know Fresno has a CHINATOWN & JAPANTOWN?!?

How did the Chinese and Japanese end up in Fresno?!?
Once the gold mines up north were depleted, many Chinese were hired to build railroads. Aside from the famous Transcontinental Railroad, the Chinese were also major contributors in building the southern extension that stretched from Sacramento to Southern California. While railroads were built, small cities started popping up and the Chinese settled in these areas, and thus Chinatowns were born. The San Joaquin Valley is known for agriculture, which led the early Japanese to settle in the area since they were really experienced with agriculture. Many of the early Chinatowns and Japantowns coexisted with each other (Lodi, Walnut Grove, Sacramento Deltas, etc.), Fresno included.
The Asians in the area faced many challenges:
- The Chinese were often discriminated, and Chinatowns were often destroyed by fire.
- The Japanese were sent to "relocation camps" in different parts of the country during WW2.
The Chinese and Japanese eventually moved elsewhere in search of opportunities, and through this video you will see how Fresno's Chinatown/Japantown looks like today.
Enjoy!
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#chinatown
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#hanford

[@acceptthegood]

Hi Jack I just discovered your KZbin page! I just subscribed ! I am going to share this with all my friends, and family! I just love this! Yeah dude what happen to the China towns across the State of California. My Father made it his mission to introduce to me others cultures and because of WW2 he could speak Japanese. It was the best time ever! It almost makes me cry to see a lot of China towns just lost in time! Thank you so much!

[@moialder252]

Great coverage here. Fresno is the 5th biggest city in the entire state of CA, yet never feels like it because downtown as you saw is dead. City officials claim they have been trying to revive it and get it going but they have been saying that for years. You and this video is probably the most recent, best quality, coverage of that part of downtown on youtube.

[@jacks_off_to]

We drove around the downtown area before going into Chinatown, and we hardly saw anyone. I also noticed (from the little time we were there) drivers in Fresno are not in much of a hurry, unlike here in impatient SF lol

[@trinity9295]

Mhm I feel that the city of Fresno should help restore Chinatown/Japan town

[@moialder252]

@@trinity9295 City of Fresno and fresno county in general operate very slow unless its a home builder in the more suburban areas where there seems to be some incentives for both parties. In and around downtown seems like they cant get anything to work.

[@BruisedMagazine]

What are your thoughts on the 250 Million dollar investment plan for Fresno Chinatown that was just announced?

[@jdos5643]

If Fresno city invested to make Chinatown as pretty as say SF then ppl would come. Tourist and locals alike. It’s not rocket science

[@KT-Tor_Ca]

Good video, you deserve more subscription

[@jacks_off_to]

Thanks!!

[@antonio__69]

thanks for this! love central fish co. i hope that the officials actually invesy in the community, it really is great- just needs some love

[@user-ny2bx8ez1c]

I often travel to Fresno, from Morro Bay, to the Asian markets which are mostly in the south east part of town. There are some Asian markets here buy pale in comparison to the HUGE ones in Fresno. I grew up in Fresno, and back then I didn't really know much about Asian cuisine except when dining at Asian restaurants I really liked them. Things have changed with the restaurants since I was young. When ordering in a Chinese restaurant they always had pan fried noodles and now not so much. Over here, at the coast, it's hard to get them to pan fry noodles. Learning how to cook Asian has been a real blessing.

[@dkgong]

Cool. You should check out the Chinatown in Hanford too.

[@jerroldkazynski5480]

Chinatown Redevelopment has been on hold due to California High Speed Rail project, and of course budget issues. Near Chinese New Year's they have a nice parade in which my ECV group participates every year. Thanks for highlighting the area.

[@dccloyd]

I love these videos bro. I worked for a The Clovis Museum for a few years after grad school and worked for Fresno County near Fresno's China Town. I always noticed that things could be better there, but there is a lot of awesome history on those streets. Fresno has an amazing Asian community with people coming from all over Asia. They are by far an aspect of Fresno that needs to be more celebrated, thanks for your video.

[@bjm5222]

"Chef Paul's... must be a mexican place" bro thats some of the best food in Fresno

[@phillyphil3860]

Soul food restaurant

[@bjm5222]

@@phillyphil3860 yup, and a damn good one

[@jacks_off_to]

damn I missed out lol

[@moialder252]

@@jacks_off_to its ok, this just speaks of how chinatown/japantown is in fresno. It's pretty much safe to say its dead except remnants you touched on.

[@stboxing559]

It's pretty good but not with the price

[@vilu3583]

Keep up the good work. Your videos are very interesting.

[@jacks_off_to]

thanks!!

[@moig2592]

There is a beautiful old Buddhist Temple that is now closed. Loved visiting it and going to the fantastic festivals there when I was a kid. Back then, we would go to the fish market and the department store, which were really neat. The area area was very active with many businesses, but time has passed and the area has declined a lot.

[@throne988]

Thanks bro, because of you I've learned a little bit of our history.

[@brianbonilla4830]

I remember going to the Buddhist temple for a field trip when it was open in the 1970's

[@1sfgmen]

10:24, seems like there is a Chinese character "水”（water）next the the "left hand"

[@jacks_off_to]

The San Joaquin Valley need tons of water for agriculture lol

[@scottywalker4312]

Love Central Fish, I shop there all the time 👍

[@jacks_off_to]

That market is awesome!! Like I've mentioned in the video there were things I've never seen before!

[@sashmolinar5910]

It looks great, are there any other really good Asian markets in the area?

[@juansima189]

I was there many years ago. It has changed so much that I can no longer recognize the buildings. Were you at F Street between Kern & Tulare St?

[@mikekeppler2691]

Chef Paul's is very good soul food. I have been going to cuca's for about 45 years now

[@Magnum062]

Lived in Fresno from 2000-14 and didn't know that. Only went downtown like twice and nobody I knew mentioned it. Interesting facts and fun video. Thanks! P.S. Was there like 6 years before I found out it had a zoo and visited!

[@Itwillgrowback]

I got to see the tunnels - there are some really old, really interesting things connecting the opium dens.

[@demzre]

I really enjoy your videos. It reminds of that old local SF series “Bay Area Backroads”. It’s amazing to learn how widespread our Chinese community used to be in California. Keep up the good work!

[@jacks_off_to]

Thanks!

[@99BruceWayne]

I Really Enjoyed The Video Maybe Describe The Streets where you exactly at. Time for a build up project downtown Fresno .559

[@geriharvey-garvin7399]

You must come back to tour the tunnels underneath Chinatown. Lots of history in them.

[@rudybernal2855]

China Town was the place to be on a Fresno weekend in the 1960s there was three movie theaters plus the Mexican theater that's were everyone went to buy clothes at dry goods & peacocks Holly's and Dick's and their was at least 10 bar's that were live on the weekends some good times

[@hultonclint]

Another great "chaa town" from a "chaa town" enthusiast!

[@anthonymarquez6459]

It’s crazy to see somebody in Chinatown here in Fresno nothing but abandoned building cheap rooms,drug addicts and homeless it’s ruff area especially in komotos and jazzes😂😂

[@jaayhop]

Right lol it’s trashy asf nowadays 😂

[@jdos5643]

@@jaayhopthat’s not funny that’s sad. Hopefully the city takes over revamps the place up. Adds those hanging red orbs all over the streets adds a big tori gate entrance and cement lion statues and hopefully hopeful ppl bring in asian market with outdoor produce sales. I love the smells of foods I only been to the one in SF and Hawaii

[@jennifersombath8463]

My Dad owns Ho Ho Kafe! 10 years ago I actually used that pay phone lol

[@narzq]

I remember fresno chinatown as a kid in the 70s and early 80s. Stores like peacocks, and orientals. Not to mention Victoria’s chinese restaurant. Not many know this but there is also a system of tunnels underneath long shut down and blocked up.

[@CappaMama]

You guys missed the little eatery in Central Fish that has a pretty good menu of japanese tempura, fish, soups, poki, and Friday clam chowder.

[@guadalupmoreno8563]

thanks to the railroad being built there where a lot more buildings that been distroyed those where the ones that had underground rooms where they had swamp meats..

[@buddhaboy88]

Just want to say that I love your Chinatown videos! I just randomly stumbled upon your videos and watched all the Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon videos all in one sitting. I am also a fellow Chinatown enthusiast. I always find a way to visit any Chinatowns along my travels. Hope to see more videos of your adventures! Just a suggestion, I noticed that Hanford, California has old Chinatown buildings too. If you ever find yourself in Edmonton, Canada, I can show you around our Chinatown.

[@jacks_off_to]

Thanks!! and stay tune for Hanford..... I didn't know Edmonton has a Chinatown too, so I'll definitely hit you up if I do a Canadian Chinatown trip! Counting on my fellow Chinatown enthusiasts for new info and new adventures!

[@frmstone]

like your MATH hat!

[@sammers2K01]

Fresno Chinatown used to be really thriving and popular. My great grandmother used to have a business down there

[@medrep1000]

Thanks for the tour. I've lived in Fresno since 1967, but never visited Chinatown

[@mjo5171]

Bummer...

[@julieannyang1971]

Oh no... You guys didn't go upstairs at CentralFish...

[@juancena1484]

Them buildings is really haunted, remember as kids, me and the boys broke into one of the building and found gold Chinese coins and one of the guys seen a Chinese lady in red walking towards him so everybody just dipped,,, I think we was 14 or 15 at the time,,, but yea it's haunted

[@VientianeSabaidee]

Are you chinese or Thai?

[@amandatripp5216]

Too bad you didn't include a tour of the underground tunnels they are the most interesting piece of the history in Chinatown. BTW chef Paul's is soul food lol

[@franchise-pj6ow]

My dad told me the Japanese were held at the Fresno county Fairgrounds during WW2 in fear of them attacking. Not sure if it was the Fairgrounds during that time or more of a camp. Ive also been told by a City worker that there are underground tunnels all throughout China town and the rest of downtown that the Chinese built back when China town was heavily occupied. Alot of gambling and a few other illegal things would go on down there. Another man , another old guy once told me his first job was a Policeman. I forget exactly if he said it was the 1930's or 40's but he claimed he walked into the station/jail and asked the only guy he saw working there," if he was hiring" ? Marshal or whatever he was replied, " Have you ever fired a gun" ? "No sir but i can learn". "Your hired" the marshal told him. And from that day on he patrolled China Town as a Fresno Policeman or Sheriff, don"t remember which. I just thought I would share my knowledge of what Ive been told over the years about China Town Fresno.

[@AmericaTown]

HAHAHA nice shirt braaaaa

[@jacks_off_to]

Thanks chingu hahahah

[@pro100]

Damn shame the city doesn't clean this area up and turn it around. Lots of good bones and buildings here to reshape it and bring it back to life

[@moialder252]

Thats the city of fresno for you. If it wasn't for Covid and working from home, they wouldnt have gotten a lot of high income earners from the bay area and LA moving there and actually help bring in tax revenue from the higher priced homes those people are buying. Fresno only helps developers but dont do enough to revive the core part of the city that tourist and passer bys see--which is downtown and areas right off the 99. And unfortunately most of the undesireable and ugly parts of fresno is all what tourist and visitors see because they are right off the freeway.

[@brucebanana4486]

Kinda sad how my city wastes our own culture. There is a lot of interesting history like Reagan came to the city when he was in Fresno. Also, the Majority of the investment city goes to North Fresno because there's a lot of white rich people. And the rest of us get ignored.

[@anegol6892]

Very interesting , I think this would confuse non - Asians. Lol

[@jacks_off_to]

Some people think teriyaki chicken is Chinese (thanks to Panda Express lol)

[@quotient0422]

too bad that building at 2:54 no longer exists

[@garrettleatham9682]

Did you notice the Freemason symbol on the Bing Kong association building on the back fence on the second floor?

[@jacks_off_to]

I see it now! Thanks for point it out

[@jerroldkazynski5480]

That group reportedly was also a Tong, which is similar to maybe mafia, or other fraternal group without criminal flavor. Thanks for showing the ECV plaque too.

[@annle5521]

I’m from Atlanta GA and I haven’t been to Fresno. There’s a huge Asian community in Atl. I thought of moving to California but Fresno looks very dead to me and not business friendly. I think I will cross Fresno off my list.

[@jacks_off_to]

If you like big cities, maybe look into San Diego

[@brucebanana4486]

Fresno has a huge Asian community mostly from the Hmong community. We have celebrated Hmong New Year in Fresno Fair Grounds. Downtown is kinda dead due to many eras in the 60s and 70s a lot of white people flee from there because they didn't like minorities. They move more to suburbs particularly uncommon to the whole nation. Fresno is more suburban than Atlanta.

[@skyeblue5669]

93720 here.. NEVER been to DOWNTOWN Fresno..🤔🤔🤔 PROBABLY NEVER WILL GO DOWN TO THAT AREA..👎👎👎👎SCARY 🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️

[@mjo5171]

Not really scary, simply unfamiliar

[@romandiesel8494]

Ho ho Kate is amazing

[@JusMG559]

Chinese Freemasons? Now that’s interesting.

[@southsacstandup2549]

Dogecoin to the moon! 🚀

[@itsokpapi]

Bro at least research the areas and places before you visit. At least have some knowledge or history prior to just walking around and guessing what shit is or was. I like your shit tho!

[@jtf267]

I agree. It would bring her videos to a much higher level. We cringed every time you said MANju. The history of Koda farms was fascinating and sad. They never got back their farm even when they tried to buy it back from the people who left it unused and overgrown. Just a suggestion.

[@callmegorgeouos]

Great vid of history but The environment look dead

[@billyFNbones]

They didn't establish it, they were forced to live there. There's literally a plaque down there that explains they were "strongly encouraged to live there." And that neighborhood is the worst in Fresno. That cafe is also an anarchist collective lol

[@mjo5171]

What?!? Which cafe?

[@billyFNbones]

@@mjo5171 the one he mentioned in the video. It's not an actual cafe. People live there

[@ADAM_NORMAN]

Freemason symbol at 6:04....

[@jessicsgarcia3907]

No such thing as 🇯🇵 Japan Town!??