Seattle is a city shaped by many subcultures and neighborhoods, from the rapidly developing tech world of Downtown to the fun-loving, progressive energy of Capitol Hill. Yet among these bustling districts lies what I believe to be the true heart of the city: the Seattle International District — more commonly known as Chinatown.Â
Growing up in Seattle and attending school just outside the city, nearly every Seattle Public Schools student can recall familiar field trips to this cultural center. Whether visiting the Wing Luke museum, watching fortunes being made at the Tsue Chong fortune cookie factory, or simply walking through the neighborhood with classmates and chaperones, these trips offered our youth a glimpse into the history and community that is often overlooked.
For many students, these visits were rare — perhaps once or twice throughout a student’s K-12 experience. But for others, especially those raised in Asian households, the International district was deeply woven into weekly shopping trips and long standing-familial traditions.Â
If you grew up with a hardworking Asian mom, you likely spent your weekends running errands at the iconic international grocery store, Uwajimaya. More than just a place to shop, this store stands as the pinnacle of the community’s history and survival. First established in 1928 by Fujimatsu Moriguchi, Uwajimaya endured the trauma of Japanese internment during World War II and later reemerged as a central hub for Asian American families in Seattle.
Another space that quietly grounds the International District is the New Century Tea Gallery. For longtime Seattleites and visitors alike, this small shop — owned by Dafe Chen and Grace Li — is often passed without a second thought. Yet unlike the restaurants and grocery stores surrounding it, this tea gallery offers something far more intimate: the experience of tasting, learning, and appreciating the art of tea. Customers from all over the country visit to sit for free scheduled tastings, sampling different varieties as the staff explains the origins, brewing methods, and medicinal values behind each leaf. After immigrating to the United States, the married owners opened the store in 1999 as a new beginning, sharing their knowledge from back home and teaching patience to a new audience. Centered on tradition and human interaction, the gallery helps keep the International District’s spark alive.
Just across the street is Hing Hay Park, one of the most visible and communal spaces in the area. It gives the International District a different meaning: built in 1973 and located along South King Street between 6th and Maynard, the park centers around an authentic pavilion, benches, and chess tables, which invite neighbors to linger rather than simply pass through. A small community bulletin board, placed according to the principles of feng shui, shows the continuation of cultural beliefs within the space. Just past the pavilion, a dragon mural shows the railroad construction and earlier Seattle landmarks, tying the park to the extensive history of Chinese labor and settlement in the city. The memorial cenotaph honoring ten Chinese American veterans killed during WWII ensures that collective loss and memory are not forgotten. In the summer, tai chi classes, free music, ping pong, and Dragon Fest transforms Hing Hay Park into a cultural stage for the community.Â
While Uwajimaya represents survival and New Century Tea gallery embodies preservation, Hing Hay Park opens these histories publicly, making the culture of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District both visible and inseparable from the neighborhood’s everyday life.