In between slurps of noodle soup and colorful cups of bubble tea, visitors to this neighborhood will find little pieces of history that explain the experience of Asian immigrants to Seattle over the last 150 years.
When immigrants from China, Japan, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia began arriving in Seattle in the late 19th century, the white settlers pushed them out of the city center (now Pioneer Square) and into what became the Chinatown-International District. Today, the sections of Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon come together into a dense neighborhood filled with restaurants serving food from around Asia, boutiques featuring modern fashion and imported gifts, and little pieces of the history behind the neighborhood. The public spaces, Wing Luke Museum, and even the grocery store, Uwajiymaya, all reflect the neighborhood’s past and present as a gathering space for these immigrant communities and their descendants.
The Chinatown-International District might be the easiest neighborhood in the city to get to. The train station, which serves both the commuter rail to and from the suburbs stops here, as does the inter-city Amtrak, at King Street Station. Link Light Rail stops in its own underground station, whisking people here from Downtown and points north, and anywhere south to the airport and beyond. The streetcar runs right over top, coming from Capitol Hill, around First Hill, and down Jackson. Because it sits at the intersection of Highway 99 and the end of I-90, numerous buses pass through going in every direction, and car access is easy – until you need to park, which tends to be difficult here.
The historic building houses an in-situ exhibit of the general store that once occupied it and tickets include tours of the hotel over top, as this museum aims to tell the story of the people who crossed an ocean to build their lives in this neighborhood. The many exhibits cover various aspects of life as an immigrant from Asia and the Pacific Islands or descendant of one, including the philosophy of Bruce Lee, traditional crafts, and intersectional activism. But the museum also considers the entire area part of its collection, with tours that highlight the neighborhood’s unique features and represent its history.
Stop for a matcha latté or cup of tea at the Panama Hotel Coffeehouse and Tearoom and find the glass section of the floor. The window looks into the early 20th-century Japanese bathhouse under the historic building, and the suitcases left there by Japanese Americans when the U.S. government sent them to concentration camps during World War II.
This tiny pathway at 6th and Maynard highlights both the Japantown that flourished here before World War II and the few shops that still carry on that legacy. The lanterns overhead and art along the sides serve a dual purpose of making the alley a more pleasant place to walk and remembering its history. Murals by local Japanese artists depict four businesses that survived the deportation of the community, and a fence depicts the ebb and flow of the neighborhood’s Japanese population from the first immigrants in the early 20th century. Across the alley, a photo exhibit pays tribute to those taken forcefully from their homes during World War II.
The main reason most locals come to the Chinatown-International District is to eat, and it’s hard to go wrong. Maneki serves old-school Japanese food and sushi with old-fashioned hospitality in Japantown, while Hood Famous Café and Bar serve modern interpretations of Filipino flavors, like their signature ube cheesecake and calamansi espresso tonic. Vietnamese coffee gets a similar treatment at Phin, with house-made condensed milk and pandan waffles, while Thanh Son Tofu and Bakery puts their own products into some of the city’s best Vietnamese sandwiches. Taste a continent’s worth of noodles with Pho Bac Sup Shop’s signature short rib pho, the handmade noodles at Sichuanese Cuisine, and the curative soups at Mike’s Noodle House, or join the crowds in line for dim sum at Harbor City and hot pot at Chengdu Memory.
Sairen is my favorite clothing store in the city. Even though it is tiny, all the best pieces in my closet come from there.
Groceries don’t often top the list of what tourists want to buy, but Uwajimaya, the sprawling Japanese grocery store that anchors the neighborhood, deserves a visit. The food, including locally made Asian delicacies and live local seafood tanks, is amazing, but they also have a big selection of Asian housewares and beauty supplies. The attached outlet of Japanese book chain Kinokuniya carries a wide selection of books by Asian and Asian American authors and some small gift items.
Kobo at Higo carries more gifts, including a wide selection of art, souvenirs, books, and clothes, mostly by Northwest and Japanese artists. Next door, Sairen similarly focuses on Northwest, Hawaiian, and Asian creators to stock its shelves with trendy clothes, toys, housewares, and more.
There are only two options for travelers wishing to stay in the Chinatown-International District, both of which are aimed at budget travelers that care most about finding an affordable bed. The better of the two options is the HI Seattle at the American, a classic hostel run through Hostelling International. The bare bones facility offers shared and private rooms but furnished with only the basics – bed, bedding, and a locker – though guests can use the shared community living, dining, and kitchen areas.
Everyone who visits Seattle should come to the Chinatown-International District for a meal, at minimum, and ideally for a walk through the neighborhood and stop at the Wing Luke. But only the most budget-conscious travelers should actually stay in the neighborhood, as the hotels here cater to that audience.
