Bounded by Octavia, Fillmore, California, and Geary, Japantown shelters only a small percentage of the city’s Japanese population, but exploring these few square blocks and the shops and restaurants within them is still a cultural experience. You’ll discover scores of wonderful restaurants, sushi bars, karaoke lounges, and shops offering a fascinating array of merchandise from Japan. On many weekends you’ll see traditional Japanese music and dance performances, flower arranging demonstrations, martial arts presentations, and a variety of other cultural events.

Kabuki Springs & Spa (www.kabukisprings.com), the Japan Center's most famous tenant, was once an authentic, traditional Japanese bathhouse. The Joie de Vivre hotel group bought and renovated it, however, and it’s now more of a pan-Asian spa with a focus on wellness.