Beauty of Life with Jo: Seattle Chinatown

Friday, May 13, 2022

Seattle Chinatown - International District

Locally known as CID (Chinatown International District), this is a cultural hub for the Asian American communities around Seattle. There is a Japan town, Little Saigon, Filipino town and of course the China town itself.... I think!

We were here on 30 April, 2022, a rainy Saturday, and surprisingly, we found out that there was a Year of the Tiger Celebration, completed with lion and dragon dance with martial arts performances. There was a market going on too with lots of food booths and trucks. Truly an eventful day.

I was trying to understand why they celebrated the Year of the Tiger in April and not during Chinese New Year... I guessed it was to start off the Spring Festival as well? Then I realized that it was postponed from February to April, due to Covid. Ahhh! 2022 is the Year of the Tiger and so celebrations are really lovely to have throughout the year and not just on a particular date.

This Chinatown was not what I had expected, in fact, it was a little shocking to me. A rundown neighborhood. Graffiti everywhere. Depressing. Sad. But... the people were having fun. Guess it didn't bother them at all.

A lil history:

The Chinese settled in Seattle in the 1800s. They worked in the railroads and mines. The Union Station was opened in 1911 for more railroad lines and that increased entrepreneurs coming to Seattle; Japanese, Chinese and Filipino families increased. Japan town started.

African Americans came in during WWII and established Jackson Street with jazz, rhythm and blues, but gradually faded away.

The neighborhood survived because of the Chinese and Filipino communities. In the 1960s, Koreans and Pacific Islanders came in. Then in the 1980s, new immigrants from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia joined in.

Year of the Tiger celebration

Hing Hay Park

Free fries!

Seattle Kungfu Club

Food truck offering Nepalese food

Panama Hotel

Rich with Japanese American history. Built in 1910 by the first Japanese American architect and is home to the nation's last remaining Japanese bathhouse. The current owner has restored the building and it is a hotel and teahouse today.

A Chinese grocery shop

Not sure what this alley was all about but there was a tiny shop that sold nostalgic stuff like old marbles and toys.

Dr Sun Yat Sen's statue. Building was closed or under renovation. Maybe a museum?

Another Chinese supermarket

I didn't understand why this supermarket was not done up properly on the outside. It has a beautiful Chinese roof but look at the door and dirty windows!