Beyond the Gate: C-ID

Photo of International District's Gates.

Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID) is the historical and cultural heart of the Emerald City's Asian American community. The CID encompasses three distinct neighborhoods: Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon, each with its own unique history.

When Chinese immigrants started arriving in the Pacific Northwest for work, the community initially resided in Pioneer Square. Unfortunately, these settlers were caught between general anti-Chinese sentiment, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. Eventually, the community settled in its third and present-day location near King Street Station.

Japanese immigrants established Japantown (Nihonmachi) in the same vicinity. At Nihonmachi’s height in the 1930s, the neighborhood boasted a population of 8,000 residents—it was the second-largest Japanese American community behind Los Angeles until residents were sent to internment camps during World War II.


The district also became home to Filipino Alaskeros, seasonal workers in the salmon and agriculture industries across Western states. Another group of immigrants to follow decades later was Vietnamese refugees. Governor Dan Evans welcomed thousands of Vietnamese looking to start a new life and developed a robust resettlement program. Today, Washington state has the third-largest Vietnamese American community in the United States.

The CID is also home to Maneki. The restaurant first opened its doors in 1904 and has a long, storied history, surviving World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his youth, former Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Miki briefly lived in Seattle and worked as a dishwasher there. He would later gift the city 1,000 cherry trees. Maneki is the oldest Japanese restaurant in North America, and possibly the oldest Asian restaurant on the West Coast.

Another legendary restaurant in the area is Tai Tung, the oldest Chinese restaurant in Seattle. Established in 1935, it has been family-owned for almost a century. It was Bruce Lee’s favorite joint when he was studying at the University of Washington. His two favorite dishes were Oyster Sauce Beef and Garlic Shrimp.

The district represents more than just a historic landmark. C-ID is a neighborhood where the legacies of these immigrant communities continue to thrive. Stop by sometime for good eats and community!