Returning to the Harlem of the West

This self-guided walking tour begins outside Stuart Hall High School at 1715 Octavia Street in San Francisco. Use the map, tour stops and accessibility information below. Tap the yellow Start Tour button below to launch a teaser on your mobile phone — check back for the full tour in mid-April!

SF Japantown
8
Stops
40
Mins

Tour Stops

  1. 1715 Octavia Street / The Story Begins
  2. The Buddhist Church of San Francisco / Return from Topaz
  3. 410 Austin Street / Daisy’s House
  4. Octavia Restaurant / Wartime Rationing
  5. 2006 Bush Street / Internment
  6. Benches on Pedestrianized Buchanan Street / The Making of the ‘Mo
  7. Hotel Kabuki / King Café
  8. Japan Peace Pagoda Plaza / Endings

Tips & Accessibility

This tour is free. 

For the best experience, fully charge your phone or tablet and bring headphones. The tour requires access to cellular phone data or an internet connection. WiFi may not be available. Alternatively, you can download a version of the tour before heading out. 

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality scenes appear throughout the tour. When prompted by the narrator, activate the scene by tapping [View in 360].

Timing & Access

  • This tour runs approximately 45 minutes. The distance traveled is approximately 0.7 miles, and is mostly flat (descending a total of 150ft). There are up to 3 steps up or down to enter landmarks. 
  • Consider allowing an additional 30 minutes to an hour to explore suggested stops, shops and landmarks along the way.
  • Audio transcripts for this tour are available as a PDF download.
  • An interactive 360 video of this tour with closed captions is available on the experiences page.
  • This tour was created in October 2023. While we make an effort to keep things current, you are walking through a living neighborhood and sometimes things change. Be curious, and embrace the unexpected.

Restrooms

Restrooms are available inside Hotel Kabuki and the Japan Center buildings on Post Street, both locations we visit near the end of the tour.

Credits

NARRATORS

Caroline Satoda

Katy Long

ACTORS

Daisy Satoda Heidi Tabing

Daisy’s Younger Sister Maddie Matsumoto

Daisy’s Mama Mariko B.

Marguerite Johnson Maresha Robinson

Reiko Yuuki Luna

Harry John Eleby

Saburo Kido (President of JACL) Michael Sun Lee

Newspaper Man Jeff Detrow

Military Announcer Joe P. Morgan

Soldier Devon Ireland

Background voices John Eleby, Devon Irelan, Yuuki Luna, Joe P Morgan

Shades of Blue for a Blue Bridge Read by Quincy Trope

AUDIO PRODUCTION

Script Gabby Santas & Katy Long

Producer Cathy Edwards

Sound Engineering WAM Studio

Research Gabby Santas & Katy Long

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Returning to the Harlem of the West

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