2024 Seattle Things To Do & See

If you are going to Seattle and want to know more about Japanese history you will need a few days to see everything. Seattle is a beautiful city and the weather is beautiful in July. If you don't go in Summer, check the weather when you book your trip. Taking in the outdoor nature views and exploring this charming city is a nice escape. By September it will soon rain and get colder.

If you never been to Seattle, we have the tips that will save you time and make your trip memorable. We have broken our list into 3 areas.

1)  Seattle Area - Places to See & Food to Taste (culture, site-seeing, eating, pier)
2)  Seattle Historic Japantown (history, site-seeing, shopping, eating, hiking, walking)
3)  Seattle Bainbridge Island (Japanese Memorial, site-seeing, museum, eating, driving, scenery, ferry)

Keep in mine Seattle Japantown is small, you can't compare it to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. What is unique is the original buildings are still there since 1904, and you can actually go inside of them. You will get a sense of history here. The Panama Hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Where Are the Four Official Japantowns in the United States?

There are four official Japantowns in the United Sates.

 •  Little Tokyo Japantown, Los Angeles, California
 •  San Francisco Japantown, California
 •  San Jose Japantown, California
 •  Sawtelle Japantown, West Los Angeles, California

Where is Seattle Located on a Map?

Map of Seattle, Washington

Where Can You Stay in Seattle?

If you stay in downtown it gets pricer than the outside cities like the Seattle Airport or in Renton. If you stay in the outside cities you will drive about 15 minutes to get to downtown, but the drive allows you to see the beautiful trees that surround this beautiful Seattle area.

Seattle Downtown - Things to Do

Seattle Things To Do - Japanese Culture and American Things To Do. To make your trip even more enjoyable we added other tips that will ehnace your trip.

1) Seattle Space Needle, 400 Broad St, Seattle WA 98109, (206) 905-2100
51 stories high. There may be a long wait so bring something to do in line. You will see a 360 degree view of the city and harbor. Avoid the pricey restaurant but the viewing area has a clam chowder bread bowl that is delicious. There is parking around the area.

2) Seattle Pier 57 Ferris Wheel/Waterfront, 1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 623-8600
Seattle Pier. Ferris wheel, arcade games for the kids, horse carousel, and plenty of shops and restaurants.

3) Pikes Market Place, 1916 Pike Place, Seattle WA 9801
Above the downtown pier. There is the famous flying fish you have to see. If you go early in the morning or late at night you can avoid the tourist that come in from the incoming boat cruises.

4) World Famous Flying Fish Market, Pike Place, Seattle WA 9801
World famous fresh fish company in Seattle's Pike Place Market where fishmongers throw fish and visitors have fun.

5) Mee Sum Pastry, 1526 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 682-6780, meesum.com
Chinese pork buns and sesame balls are a must. Inexpensive.

6) Le Panier Very French Bakery, 1902 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 441-3669
Croissants and coffee. Long lines but worth the wait. Inexpensive.

7) Starbucks - Store Number 1, 1912 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 448-8762
This the original Starbucks store number #1. This is where everything started. Some tips if you see a line out the door, come back when they open or come right before they close you can avoid the wait. Check their hours. If you love coffee you will love the history of this location.

8) Pikes Clam Chowder, 1530 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 267-2537
Ranked number 1 on yelp and winner of many awards. Get the clam chowder sampler - 4 small cups of clam chowder and bread. Inexpensive.

9) Seattle Mariners Game, 1250 1st Ave S, Seattle WA, 98134
For $10 you can enter a beautiful stadium to see the home team place. Food here is typical of ball parks. You can park next to the stadium on a 6 story parking structure if it isn't sold out or go early. Ask for seats out of the sun.

10) Seattle Pier 57 - Waterfront, 301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121, (206) 623-8600
Seattle Pier that has sea food restaurants, shopping, Ferris wheel, arcade for the kids, flying horses carousel and also where the Ferry Boat leave for Bainsbridge Island. Parking lots all around.

11) Seattle Pier 52 - Ferry Boat to Bainsbridge Island, 801 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121, (888) 808-7977
This is where you drive your car on to a Ferry and enjoy a 35 minute scneice view of Seattle. See Bainbridge section for things to see.

12) Boeing Tour, 3003 W Casino Rd, Everett, WA 98204, (800) 305-9617
This popular tour takes you for an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at large airliner manufacturing and the amazing face of future commercial aviation.

Japantown International District, Seattle, WA

Address: 600 5th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104

Tips at the International Uwajimaya Market Building
The location of the Japantown International District is not far from JapanTown
Parking: you can park in the larrge lot and validate for $7.00
Looking for Japanese food places? At the Japanese market, pick up the local Japanese newspapers ideas in the area.

In 1928, with a dream of bringing traditional Japanese food to fellow Asians in the community, Fujimatsu Moriguchi began making specialty Japanese fare and selling it out of the back of his truck to Japanese fishermen and loggers in Tacoma, Washington. Word spread as the popularity of his food grew and soon Fujimatsu needed more space. He and his wife, Sadako, decided to open a small market in Tacoma to serve the growing Asian population. The Moriguchis named their store Uwajimaya - "Uwajima" being the name of the area in Japan that Fujimatsu had learned his trade, and "ya" meaning store.

At the outbreak of World War II in 1942, the store closed its doors as the Moriguchis along with their children were sent to a Japanese internment camp. Upon release in 1945, the Moriguchis returned to the Pacific Northwest to reopen Uwajimaya in the historic Asian neighborhood of Seattle known today as the International District. The Moriguchis also made another important change to their store at this time: they expanded their offerings by importing food items and wares directly from Japan, and later, from other Asian countries.

1) Seattle Uwajimaya, 600 5th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 624-6248
A large Japanese market in the international district. There is a food court with international foods.
I visit Uwajimaya whenever I'm in Seattle (or Portland). It's like an entire Japantown under one roof - Kinokuniya bookstore, supermarket, gift store, and restaurants. And the fish department

2) Kinokuniya Bookstore, 525 S Weller St, Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 587-2477
This one is like the one in San Francisco's Japantown, just smaller, with both the stationery and the bookstore in one place. It's still a great place though, with its Japanese fashion

3) Daiso, 710 6th Ave S, (between Cherry St & Lane St), Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 355-4084
Inexpensive Japanese items, like kitchen gadgets, etc.

4) Tsukushinbo, 515 S Main St, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 467-4004
I came by just after opening for dinner and right then felt like this was a nice getaway off the main street and in Seattle's old Japantown. It's a moderate, calm and welcoming space

5) Maekawa Bar, 601 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 622-0634
I would come here just because it reminds me of restaurants in the SF Japantown. The food is ok. I ordered the beef tongue, the maguro mini-don, and the takoyaki. They were all fine

6) Fuji Sushi, 520 S Main St, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 624-1201
A solid longtime player in Japantown. FS does classic Japanese cuisine; don't look for anything fusion/derivative/interpretive or any of that trendy jive. What they do they do reliably

7) JCCCW, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington, 1414 South Weller Street, Seattle, WA 98144, (206) 568-7114.
Established in 2003, the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington is dedicated to preserving, promoting and sharing Japanese and Japanese American history, heritage and culture. Founded by a group of longtime community leaders, we are a true community based organization with staff, board members, volunteers and supporters from throughout the Seattle area Japanese and Japanese American communities.

Japanese Culture - More Things To See

1) Japanese Gardens - Kubota Garden, Renton Ave S & 55th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Japanese Gardens Seattle Japanese Garden 2.5 - Kubota Garden acres, https://kubotagardens.com

2) Wing Luck Asian Museum, 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104
Tour of Japan town, japantown history.

3) Seattle Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd E, Seattle WA 98112, (206) 684-4725
Japanese Gardens Seattle Japanese Garden 2.5 - Kubota Garden acres, https://kubotagardens.com

Seattle Restaurant Week (Oct - Nov: Includes Japanese Food)

The heart and soul of our city is on the table Seattle Restaurant Week gives diners a unique chance to celebrate and support our culinary community, highlighting its craft, diversity, resilience, and great food. Enjoy curated menus for $20, $35, $50, and $65 at restaurants, food trucks, pop-ups, and more across greater Seattle.
 Seattle Restaurant Week Website: All Food Cuisines inluding Japanese Food

Japanese Information Sources

Sources: Jean Nakayama from Minakei Restaurant
Tour of the JP Building next to Minakei Restaurant.


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