Historic Panama Hotel

Chinatown / International district

Just east of Pioneer Square, Chinatown/International District features a wonderful sampling of Asian culture.  East of 6^th Ave. S., South of Yesler Way.

The hustle and bustle in the streets of International District can transport you to any Asian metropolis in the world.  Visitors and residents busily crowd into the family-run shop and restaurants located throughout the diverse neighborhood.  The “historical Chinatown,” nestled in the heart of the district along King Street, has been home to some of the oldest and the most exotic business in Seattle, Yick Fung & Co., and import-export business, has been open here since 1913, and Liem’s Pet Shop boasts one largest collections of exotic birds and fish in the country.  If one ventures up toward 8^th Avenue South, there is still an opportunity to see where Bruce Lee’s kung fu studio was located, the first studio in the United States to break the color barrier and teach traditional kung fu to non-Chinese.

  One of the few remaining legacies of Japanese presence in the neighborhood is the landmark Uwajimaya grocery store.  More than merely a grocer, Uwajimaya sell fine art, house wares, gifts, and a mind-boggling array of first-class, international groceries and produce, definitely a required stop for any visitor.

Nihonmachi or “Little Tokyo,” was a thriving Japanese community prior to WWII, second in size only to the Little Tokyo in Los Angeles.  For anyone interested in the history of the Japanese experience in Seattle, the Panama Hotel (1910) offers a virtual time capsule with thousands of household items from the 1940s.  In an effort to maintain the history of this beautiful hotel, the pre-1940s bath house has been preserved and a traditional teahouse has been added.  Tours are available year round.  Hing Hay Park was built in 1975 as a gift from the government of Taiwan.  The ornate and exotic design of the pavilion offers an architectural alternative to the skyscrapers that dominate the rest of downtown.  From the park, many visitors opt to take pictures in front of the fantastic Dragon mural created by John Woo.

One of the most recent developments in the District has been the burgeoning “Little Saigon,” east of I-5.  Every afternoon people from all over downtown trail in for a bowl of herb-infused Pho or Vietnamese sandwiches packed with the freshest ingredients of Flaky French style rolls bakes daily.  They offer a healthy and quick stop for visitors on the run.  Whenever you choose to stop, the International District is a lively experience.

FREE INTERNET ACCESS

Phone: (206) 223-9242      Fax: (206) 624-4957     E-mail:  reservations@panamahotelseattle.com