Founded in 1973, the Nihonmachi Street Fair was hatched as an idea to provide leadership and mentorship opportunities for the youth of J-Town and to honor the cultural heritage that was, at the time, at risk of being displaced. Since then the annual event has grown from a four-booth affair to a two-day event expected to draw over 30,000 attendees in 2018.

What makes this street fair a uniquely San Francisco event is the broader cultural context participants can experience in addition to traditional Asian-Pacific influences. The Nihonmachi Street Fair organizers have a long history of including local entertainment that have spanned genres from Taiko to hip-hop to salsa, rock, and jazz.