California Japantowns - Exploring the preservation of history, culture, and community...

Alameda

Across the bay from San Francisco, Alameda's Japantown flourished, with 822 Japanese residents at its peak in the 1930s. In the charming neighborhood near the Park Street bridge, there were 2 churches, 2 Japanese schools, and numerous businesses to provide for the close-knit community. By the 1940s, the Japanese had established their niche serving the broader community with 4 florists, 4 nurseries, 8 cleaners & laundry services, and 6 shoe repair stores. Nearly three-quarters of the pre-war Japantown remains extant but hidden from public memory, unless a neighbor happens upon the annual obon or bazaar of the Buddhist or Methodist church.

Listings 

Abe Store

1611 Park St, Alameda
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Alameda Gakuen

2320 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Alameda Nursery

2528 Blanding Ave, Alameda

Ashi Nihongo Gakuen

2311 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Buddhist Church

2325 Pacific Ave, Alameda
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Chestnut Cleaners

1907 Encinal Ave, Alameda

Clement Laundry

2412 Clement Ave, Alameda

Date Florist

2306 Encinal Ave, Alameda

Dr. K. Iriki

2329 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda
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Fowler Anderson

2244 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda

Goto Residence

2317 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Goto Residence

1214 Oak St, Alameda

Hanamura Residence

1518 Pacific Ave, Alameda

Hayashi Floral Co

2305 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda

Hiroshima-ya

2329 Pacific Ave, Alameda

Imura Residence

2225 Pacific Ave, Alameda

Inouye Barber

1613 Park St, Alameda
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Iriki Residence

2329 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Ishii Grocery

1528 Oak St, Alameda
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Itahara Residence

1621 Park St, Alameda

Ito Residence

1218 Oak St, Alameda

JACL

2320 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Japanese Association

2320 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

K. Shiota

1641 Park St, Alameda

K. Sonoda

1004 Central Ave, Alameda

Kagawa Residence

1128 College Ave, Alameda

Kaneko Piano Studio

2256 Pacific Ave, Alameda

Kido Residence

2410 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Kido Residence

2216 Encinal Ave, Alameda

Kikusui Bath

1611 Park St, Alameda

Lincoln Cleaners

1201 Lincoln Ave, Alameda

Madokoro Residence

2043 Lincoln Ave, Alameda

Mandarin Caf

2931 Lincoln Ave, Alameda

Maruyama Grocery

1617 Park St, Alameda
TagsMarket

Matsuura Residence

2329 Pacific Ave, Alameda

Methodist Church

2311 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda
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Mikami Residence

2154 Lincoln Ave, Alameda

Minami Residence

2412 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Mitani Barber

1628 Park St, Alameda
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Mrs. Kondo, Midwife

2212 Encinal Ave, Alameda

N. Takahashi

1327 Park St, Alameda

Nakaso Residence

2323 Clement Ave, Alameda

Nippon Bazaar Co.

1303 Park St, Alameda
TagsStore

Nogami Residence

2301 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda

Pacific Nursery

2311 Pacific Ave, Alameda