The Historic Chinatown Gate stands forty-five feet tall, constructed of steel and covered in ornate ceramic tiles. Its four dragon-wrapped pillars support a green tiled roof that mimics traditional Chinese architecture. The city installed…
Chinatown and Japantown Walk
This walk takes you through Seattle's historic Asian-American enclaves, from the bustling plazas of Chinatown to the quiet hillsides of old Japantown. Along the way, we'll visit community-built gardens, historic boarding houses, and landmarks of resilience.
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1. Historic Chinatown Gate
2. Hing Hay Park
Hing Hay Park features a bright red, ornate Chinese pavilion that rises above the surrounding neighborhood. This structure arrived in Seattle in pieces from Taipei in nineteen seventy-five as a gift to the city. Before this public space…
3. Canton Alley South
Canton Alley is a narrow, brick-lined corridor cut through the block between King and Weller Streets. In the early twentieth century, this alley served as the hub for Chinese laborers and merchants who lived in the surrounding brick…
4. Wing Luke Museum
The Wing Luke Museum occupies a brick building with a faded, painted sign for the Freeman Hotel still visible on its upper facade. This was once a residential hotel for immigrant workers who were barred from living elsewhere in Seattle. In…
5. Kobe Terrace
A low stone wall curves around the southern edge of Kobe Terrace, marking the boundary of a park built on what was once the backyard of a hotel. In the nineteen seventies, neighbors fought to save this sloping hillside from development,…
6. Danny Woo Community Garden
The Danny Woo Community Garden clings to the steep hillside of the International District with a series of stepped wooden terraces. This patch of earth emerged in nineteen seventy-five when Danny Woo, a local restaurateur, leased the land…
7. Nippon Kan Theatre
The Nippon Kan Theatre stands out for its narrow, dark brick facade topped by a distinct, pedimented cornice that contrasts with the surrounding modern buildings. Built in nineteen oh nine by Japanese immigrant Frank Hattori, it served as…
8. Panama Hotel and Tea House
The Panama Hotel wears a distinctive layer of red brick and sits on the corner of Sixth and Main in the International District. Built in nineteen ten by architect Sabro Ozasa, it served as a hub for Japanese immigrants arriving in Seattle.…