May is AAPI Heritage Month, where we try to learn more about those people who helped build the country that we live in. Knowing who correctly contributed to music and architecture and food is so important to understanding our country as a whole. I have finally made it to another Japantown and will be making another visit on my next trip to LA, because I feel like there's so much I didn't see in the short amount of time I was there. I'm interested in taking my time to see more artwork and read more plaques and maybe also staying long enough to have a great lunch.
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| Eric and I in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles |
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| Chinatown in Vancouver, BC |
Chinatowns
Most large cities have a Chinatown, but there are some that aren't that well known that are steeped in history and have amazing food that should be on your radar:
- Las Vegas - Believe it or not, amongst all the other crazy things in Vegas, you can visit a completely separate Chinatown that's not on the Strip. It has over 150 restaurants and is home to 6 supermarkets. This has been on my list for over a year, and I hope to spend some time here on my summer trip.
- Oakland - Often overshadowed by San Francisco's Chinatown, Oakland can be a bit more chill. It's mostly a neighborhood rather than a tourist destination, but there are 45 restaurants and 9 tea shops, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Madison Park, where you can see people doing Tai Chi in the mornings, and Oakland Fortune Factory, where you can customize your own fortune cookies.
- Honolulu - Hawaiian/South Pacific culture is different than Chinese culture, and Honolulu's Chinatown is it's oldest and most artistic neighborhood, with an eclectic mix of Asian vendors, from lei makers, dim sum restaurants, the Japanese Izumo Taishakyo Mission Shrine, and Chinese Kuan Yin Temple.
- Houston - Although it seems like an unlikely place to find authentic Chinese culture, Houston has a younger, thriving Asiatown, as it brings diversity, instead of just Chinese merchants. You'll also find Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean, and more within the 6 square miles, including the Hong Kong City Mall and Teo Chew Temple. You can also take a bus tour of this sprawling neighborhood through Asiatown Houston Bus Tour.
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| Japantown in San Francisco |
Japantown
At one point there were many Japantowns, like Chinatown neighborhoods, but they got pushed out of towns, so now there are only three: San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles. There is also a Japantown in Vancouver, BC. I've had a goal to visit more than just San Francisco, and we made it to Little Tokyo on our recent trip to LA.
We bought some cute gifts, had an amazing breakfast burrito and Japanese pastries at a very popular coffee shop, had fun perusing the machines in the goshapon "stores", and then had to hit up Dave's Hot Chicken for a drink in order to use a bathroom, because there are no public restrooms there for some reason.
Portland used to have a Japanesetown, but it has been pushed out, so now we just have the Japanese American Historical Plaza with a few statues/art pieces and these wonderful cherry blossoms that were gifted to us by Japan. It is right next to Old Town Chinatown though, which has some great restaurants and the Chinese Gardens. Further away, Portland also has a Japanese Garden, which is pretty sprawling. They have cherry blossom trees as well. The people of Portland turn out when the trees are in bloom. This year we had some really beautiful sunny days and the crowds were massive.
Toronto appears to have a later cherry blossom season, and I'd love to make it there to see them...and also explore the rest of the city.
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| Statue in Las Vegas's Chinatown |
I love a good museum and when I can learn about a new culture or heritage (or even my own), even better. There are some great ones that can educate you on the history of Asians in America. Here are just a few:
- Wing Luke Museum in Seattle - Located in Seattle's Chinatown, this museum is named after a city council member who was the first Asian American to hold a public position in the Pacific Northwest. Inside you can view paintings, photos, other artwork, and textiles. The museum also offers programming and city tours.
- Angel Island Immigration Museum on Angel Island, California - Thought of as the West Coast's Ellis Island, an estimated one million immigrants came through Angel Island, though Asian immigrants were discriminated against, so not nearly as many were allowed in as wanted to come. Now, Angel Island is a state park that is home to a recreated detention center that will show you what life was like for those Asians who were forced into these types of centers due to the Chinese Exclusion Act.
- Hmong Cultural Center Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota - You might not think of a large Asian population calling the midwest home, but make sure to visit this museum that tells of the Hmong people from Laos who sought refuge in the US after the Vietnam War. Even know, there are around 90,000 Hmong people living in Minnesota, as they were given help through the University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service to set up farms in the Great Lakes area.
- Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles is currently closed, but I'd love to check it out next time I'm in town. It covers over 130 years of history and is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum. It collaborates with the Academy Film Archive to care for and provide access to home movies that document the Japanese-American experience.
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| Me in Little Tokyo (please ignore my Malfoy shirt, as we were on our way to Universal Fan Fest Nights) |
- Babbel allows you to buy a lifetime subscription at up to 55% off, but you can also just pay for a monthly membership. We plan to travel to a lot of international destinations and I jumped on a really good lifetime sub sale in 2021 as a Christmas present to us.
- Pimsleur has been around for a long time and I've used it when they were individual CDs, because I'm old, and that's what was around the second time we traveled to France. Now you can have all their offerings in one spot. Choose one language with Premium Monthly or get access to all 51 languages with All Access Monthly/Annual.
- Rosetta Stone is another one I used before everything was online. I still have Spanish CDs from them somewhere. The online RS is much better, because it's easier to use. You can choose from one language with three month and twelve month plans or all 25 of their languages with a lifetime plan.
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