Most Japan-influenced cities in U.S.

[Bucky]

I found this discussion about the most Japan-influenced cities in the US going on at this message board.

Much like the thread for the most German influenced city, what city do you think is the most influenced by Japan?

Los Angeles: One of the largest Japanese populations in the United States, outside of Hawaii. Architecture throughout the city is a mix of modern and post-modern, Japanese culture is present all throughout L.A., not just in Little Tokyo but even in Hollywood. Sushi is a popular cuisine, and other health related lifestyles.

San Francisco: Another city with a large Japanese population, and the center of a high-tech hub area. Golden Gate Park includes a Japanese garden, and there is a Japan-town, as well as it's neighbor, San Jose.

Seattle: Yet another city with a large Japanese population, downtown architecture is similar to that of Japanese cities, and also technology oriented. There is a famous Japanese garden park there, as well as the International District which includes a lot of Japanese restaurants and groceries. There also Japanese department stores and specialty shops in the regular malls there. They also have a few Japanese festivals in the city.

San Diego: Also a fairly large Japanese population. Balboa Park has the Japanese friendship garden, the Kearny-Mesa area has a lot of Japanese grocery stores and restaurants, the city is also similar to the port city of Yokohama, which is its sister city.

New York City: Large Japanese community, but I think Tokyo is more influenced by NYC rather than the other way around. NYC gets a few Japanese department stores.

Honolulu: A lot of Japanese influence, largest Japanese population of any city in the U.S.

[GuyJean]

I found this discussion about the most Japan-influenced cities in the US going on at this message board.

My vote is Honolulu.. But they seem more interwoven into the culture in Hawaii, than say a 'Japan town' in LA or SF..

GJ

[halfnip]

My vote is Honolulu.. But they seem more interwoven into the culture in Hawaii, than say a 'Japan town' in LA or SF..

GJ

Honolulu is that way only because most of the Japanese are tourists, so they get a pretty constant flux of traffic all year round. Not to mention that it's mostly new "fresh" people, whereas the communities here in the US cannot survive without catering towards the locals. I see it everytime I walk into a Japanese joint over here in San Jose---I'd say about 60% of the customers are Chinese/Korean.

That's not a bad thing, but probably why I think you get the more "authentic" feel from somewhere like HI than you would at any J town here in the US..

[Buraku]

I'm probably going to be fucking flamed like crazy for this

but the only American city that ever really reminded me of Japan's smaller cities was Columbia, South Carolina. It just had the right flavor of fakeness, the concrete buildings, the hick culture, a city that had being bombed to shit by the Yankie Union and then rebuilt out of nothing into a modern concrete mess with no history and almost no real culture left standing. Although way more ethnically diverse than Japan demographically the place was in decline with nobody having kids and the kids of Columbia don't really do anything they just play video games and go to the mall. The architecture was the fucking pits, many of the building designs almost made you physically ill. Every year around Christmas and NewYear thousands would come out and go to their shrine for some evangelical ritual. It's probably got similar levels of fakeness and conservatism with the smaller cities you find in Shikoku and Kyushu. I think Columbia was twined with some nobody place in the middle of Belarussia or Ukraine or someplace but personally I would have twined it with a couple of cities in Japan.

[Greji]

I'm probably going to be fucking flamed like crazy for this

Well, let's get it on the road.......

[Dragonette]

I'm probably going to be fucking flamed like crazy for this
but the only American city that ever really reminded me of Japan's smaller cities was Columbia, South Carolina...

Probably "influenced" isn't the right word, but I can see where you're coming from. I've heard/read that a lot of areas in the midwest share similarities with Japan, too. It's more about the culture though -

- superficial "niceness", love of anything "cute", along with the proper squeals and exclamations, a lot of sentimentality, a certain knowledge that the "American Way of Life" is waay superior, and distrust of gaijin because "they don't think the same way as we do"...

Here in NY, the Japanese influence is most visible in the many Japanese food items available in non-Asian supermarkets - Even though this isn't a particularly Japanese neighborhood, wasabi, tofu, nori, instant miso soup, Yamasa and Kikkoman brand sauces, Japanese eggplant, shiitake, etc. are available everywhere.

Instant ramen can be bought at any bodega.

Also, Karaoke is all over the place here, in both J and non-J bars. There is no worse sound than a couple of drunk and tone-deaf college students screwing up the Stone's "Satisfaction"...

[sublight]

Honolulu is that way only because most of the Japanese are tourists, so they get a pretty constant flux of traffic all year round.

I think the Pearl Harbor area got pretty heavily influenced at one point.

After Honolulu, LA and SF, I'd have to say wherever Honda, Nissan and Toyota set up their factories.

[ketchupkatsu]

My vote would have to be Honolulu. According to the latest census numbers, persons of Japanese ancestry make up about 17% of the population.

In fact it is possible to live in Honolulu, and only speak Japanese and very rudimentary English. All government forms are printed in Japanese, the Drivers License test and road test can be administered in Japanese by request. There are about 5 Japanese language television channels , More than 3 locally printed Japanese newspapers, and several magazines, most businesses have bilingual staff. In fact you can find several businesses that do almost all their business in Japanese, and if your lucky maybe one of their staff will be able to speak English with any proficiency.

Add all this to the fact that Seven Eleven sells bento and onigiri. I don't think any other state in the U.S. has 7-11s that sells that.

[Behan]

I think the Pearl Harbor area got pretty heavily influenced at one point.

After Honolulu, LA and SF, I'd have to say wherever Honda, Nissan and Toyota set up their factories.

Originally posted by ketchupkatsu
the Drivers License test and road test can be administered in Japanese by request.

AO can probably speak a lot more on this topic, but Columbus, Ohio had some influence from the Honda factory nearby. They offer a temporary driving permit test (written) in Japanese. There are also relatively a lot of Japanese restaurants and stores, too.

[BO-SENSEI]

The fact that you can go into any convience store in Hawaii and practically get the sames thing that you can get here, like Japanese-snacks or green tea or canned coffee. Its obviously because of all the Japanese tourists and Japanese people who move to Hawaii, but I like to think that Hawaii is the Japan of America. Most people on the flat parts of the island and have massive mountains near by. If you drive around the older industrial parts of Honolulu or Kahalui, it would be amazing how similar they are to Japan. Well you know, without all the Kanji.

[pheyton]

Fuckin Costa Mesa man. Our city hall has a goddamned koi pond and Japanese garden for it's landscaping. We got Beard Papa too. What else do you want?