# Where is the best Chinatown? (excl. Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)



## LS Kim (Jun 26, 2006)

The Asian neighborhood of Sao Paulo


(Pics from Flickr and Brazilian Forum)


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## Andrew (Sep 11, 2002)

That's interesting, less of a Chinese influence there by the looks of it. It seems to be more of a 'Japan Town'.


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## Jorge_U_Otaku (Sep 12, 2008)

That neighborhood in Sao Paulo is not especifically a Chinatown, which is what this thread is about; the largest chinatown in Latin America is in Lima, Peru; I don't have any pictures, so don't ask me for them.


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## LS Kim (Jun 26, 2006)

^^

Yes, is more "Japan Town", but there are also many Chinese and Korean.


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## Bandit (Dec 6, 2006)

There are two types of Chinatowns. One that has been established by Chinese immigrants where people have lived and worked there for generations. Then there's the Chinatowns designed primarily for commercial and tourist interests. I would assume the majority of Chinatowns around the world come from the first. They are historically a ghetto. I live in the SF Bay Area and you can tell who the ignorant people are based by on their criticism that SF Chinatown is dirty and ugly and they woukld never go there. Well that's what is was designed to do in the first place. But then that's where the most authentic, best food and culture is found. Ironically I always find the biggest, cleanest, and inexpensive produce in SF Chinatown than the big name supermarkets. I have only heard of one Chinatown that's being built in one of the cities in Germany purely for attracting Chinese investment. More higher income people living there. Probably not as authentic.


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## krull (Oct 8, 2005)

Here is the other big Chinatown in NYC, Flushing Queens...

(Photos are not taken by me. I found them on Flickr)


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## NYCboy1212 (Jul 30, 2008)

WANCH said:


> Other than the ones in Lower Manhattan and Queens, where's the third one?


sunset park, brooklyn


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## Andrew (Sep 11, 2002)

The most authentic chinatowns I've seen are the ones in Bangkok and Yokhama. I've also seen the chinatowns in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Incheon, Busan (not an official one but I think it should be included),Sydney, Brisbane, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Amsterdam, Den Haag and Toronto. I personally thought Singapore's chinatown is nice but it's become a bit too commercialised for my liking and London's is good but a little small for a city of its size. Notable ones that I have not yet seen are the New York, San Francisco, Vancouver and Paris chinatowns.


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## Saigoneseguy (Mar 6, 2005)

SF, Bangkok and Singapore are bests.


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## OshHisham (Nov 14, 2005)

Cinatown in Kuala Lumpur a.k.a. Petaling Street


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## Cobra 33 (Jan 24, 2007)

The one in São Paulo is actually an "Asiatown". It is by far easier to find Japanese goods, restaurants or immigrants than Chinese. Actually it has few striclty Chinese restaurants, but it has an enormous population. I have good memories of the rather small Chinatown in Boston (great food). But that was over 20 yeasr ago and have no idea how thigs are.


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## atom (Dec 13, 2003)

Chinatown, Bangkok


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## dopeman1 (Jan 11, 2008)

for me the best chinatown is in Pekin


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## Kappa21 (Sep 24, 2005)

My top 10 China towns: 

1) San Fransisco 
2) New York
3) Singapore
4) Vancouver
5) Sydney
6) Toronto
7) Montreal
8) Manchester, UK
9) Havana
10) Budapest


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## Kappa21 (Sep 24, 2005)

China Town - Toronto


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## Epi (Jul 21, 2006)

No pictures, but Toronto and Vancouver probably have the 'best' Chinatowns outside of Asia in the entire world. With 500,000 Chinese, Toronto has I believe the largest Chinese population in North America, with Chinese people representing just under 10% of the population.

There are two 'Chinatowns' in Toronto, the old kind like the pictures we have here. This is where the old immigrants settled and are within the city. Meanwhile most new immigrants live in the suburbs.

Then there are large parts of Toronto, where the vast majority of the population is Chinese (almost all first generation immigrants from Hong Kong and China, and many well educated and middle-class) and most stores you see will be Chinese. This covers a large part of the North-East of the city (Scarborough, Markham and Richmond Hill) comprising an area of about 8km x 8km. Although built into a very typical North American suburban plan (suburban single detached housing, wide streets, strip malls, indoor malls), there are massive amounts of Chinese stores everywhere.


Vancouver is similar, but having a slightly smaller Chinese population (400,000 I believe, comprising roughly 15% of the population) where there is the old 'touristy' Chinatown which is generally considered a lot more dangerous, and the brand new and wealthy suburb of Richmond which seems like it's all Chinese with malls that look like they were transplanted out of Hong Kong mixed in with the typical North American suburban plan.


I guess it depends what you mean by 'best'. If you mean most touristy, then you'd have to go with places like London, Yokohama, San Francisco and NYC. If you mean a part of town where educated and middle-class Chinese from China/HK would be able to find food, shopping and other amenities up to their standards and be able to easily integrate then Toronto and Vancouver are the places to be.

I hear there's a similar area in Orange County by Los Angeles as well.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Kimura said:


> The Asian neighborhood of Sao Paulo
> 
> 
> (Pics from Flickr and Brazilian Forum)


Liberdade is predominantly *Japanese* not Chinese.


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## Plumber73 (Mar 3, 2005)

Epi said:


> No pictures, but Toronto and Vancouver probably have the 'best' Chinatowns outside of Asia in the entire world. With 500,000 Chinese, Toronto has I believe the largest Chinese population in North America, with Chinese people representing just under 10% of the population.
> 
> There are two 'Chinatowns' in Toronto, the old kind like the pictures we have here. This is where the old immigrants settled and are within the city. Meanwhile most new immigrants live in the suburbs.
> 
> ...


I'm always very conscious, every time I visit Richmond, that I'm among a minority of caucasians. I feel like a foreigner within my own city.  Richmond has become a Chinacity in a way. The old Chinatown in Vancouver is nothing more than a few blocks in size, but definitely fits the stereotypical image of what a Chinatown is.


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## K14N (Jun 23, 2008)

kuw01medan said:


> *5 best China Town on earth
> 
> 1. Singapore
> 2. San Fransisco
> ...


Ehm, I'm quite interesting about Medan. Can you post some pics of Chinatown in Medan? There is another thread in Indonesian forum about which Indonesian city has the best Chinatown, and most Indo forumers choose Semarang, capital of Central Java. Here is the link to that thread:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=707176


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## kuw01medan (Jan 11, 2008)

K14N said:


> Ehm, I'm quite interesting about Medan. Can you post some pics of Chinatown in Medan? There is another thread in Indonesian forum about which Indonesian city has the best Chinatown, and most Indo forumers choose Semarang, capital of Central Java. Here is the link to that thread:
> 
> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=707176


Medan more Chinese than Semarang, the culture and languages still original.
many Chinese community live in the city, like Hokkian (Fujian ren), Hakka (Kejia ren), Cantonese (Guangdong ren), Teow Chiu (Chaozhou ren), Hainanese (Hainan ren), Hei lok hong (Hai lu Feng), Hing hua (Xinghua) and Hupeh (Hubei ren).


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

Epi said:


> No pictures, but Toronto and Vancouver probably have the 'best' Chinatowns outside of Asia in the entire world. With 500,000 Chinese, Toronto has I believe the largest Chinese population in North America, with Chinese people representing just under 10% of the population.
> 
> There are two 'Chinatowns' in Toronto, the old kind like the pictures we have here. This is where the old immigrants settled and are within the city. Meanwhile most new immigrants live in the suburbs.
> 
> ...



Finally someone speaks the truth. I have been London UK, Vancouver, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and many of the large North American Chinatowns and without a doubt in my mind the Chinese community in *Toronto *and it's relative footprint is probably largest (Vancouver is close). You can use Chinese to conduct business, read newspaper, watch TV or listen to radio. There's probably no place outside of China where you can get as many pirated movie titles either.

*First Markham Place*

















*Pacific Mall*
























Largest indoor Chinese mall in North America
*
Market Village*

















*Times Square*








*
Jubilee Square*









*Commerce Gate*









*Midtown Plaza*









*Splendid China Tower*








*
Dragon Centre*









*Oriental Centre*
















*

MetroSquare









T&T Supermarket *(Taiwanese -- many locations throughout the city)








More Japanese junk food than Jusco in Hong Kong.









If you look at this map, you see a swath of land saturated with Chinese shoppes. Some are absent as the map is not up to date. But there are significant concentrations all over the city. 









*Chinese Indoor Malls
*
1. Evergold Centre
2. Market Village Mall,
Pacific Mall
3. Scarborough Landmark
4. Dynasty Centre
5. Skyone
6. New Century Plaza,
Metro Square
7. Eastville Square
8. Peachtree Centre,
New Kennedy Square
9. Swing'n Bowl
10. Bank of China Centre
11. First Markham Place
12. Inernational City Square
13. Sun Square
14. Causeway Bay Square
15. Times Square
16. Commerce Gate 


*Chinese Outdoor Plazas*

1. Milliken Square
2. Finch-Midland Centre
3. Scarborough Village Mall
4. Scarborough Industrial Centre
5. Midland Court/Centre
6. Silverland Centre
7. Midland Village
8. Scherwood Centre
9. Agincourt Commercial Centre
10. Agincourt Mall
11. 25 Glen Watford Drive
12. Dragon Center
13. Cathay Plaza
14. First Commercial Place
15. Prince Mall
16. Mandarin Shopping Centre
17. Pearl Plaza
18. Regency Court
19. Milliken Wells Shopping Centre
20. Victoria Business centre 
21. Prisperity Centre
22. 3600-3640 Victoria Park Ave.
23. Bamburgh Gardens
24. Centerview Square
25. Victory Shopping Centre
26. Woodside Square
27. Midtown Plaza
28. (there is no 28)
29. Birchwood Plaza
30. Finch Leslie Square

source: http://www.geocities.com/cplarosa/toronto/malls.htm


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## Joy Machine (Aug 13, 2007)

Hmm, Ive only been to the one in LA and SF. True, LA's is a ghost town, but there is some great food there (if you're will to go in C rated restaurants) but none-the-less, the food is great!


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## south (Nov 26, 2005)

Epi said:


> No pictures, but Toronto and Vancouver probably have the 'best' Chinatowns outside of Asia in the entire world.


Agreed; Toronto's Chinatown is the best i've seen by far.

also, i think it's hilarious that Singapore has a Chinatown.


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## PD (Jun 11, 2007)

I have not been to many of the Worlds chinatowns but Londons was not so flash, maybe due to smaller chinese pop?

Melbournes was very authentic as it is the oldest chinatown in the western world (1851).


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## woozoo (Jun 16, 2008)

^^ You talking about little bourke st? two blocks of chinese, thai and japanese restaurants is barely what I would authentic. It might have had some chinese population 150 years ago, but I rekon Box hill is more authentic with Springvale, Victoria street and Footscray the most "Asian" towns *Vietnamese).


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## xlchris (Jun 23, 2006)

*Chinatown Amsterdam*

_The Chinatown in Amsterdam isn't that big. But it has the largest traditionaly build temple in Europe. It was opened by special monks who never leave their country. Chinatown Amsterdam looks nice, but Amsterdam doesn't want to many chinese looking buildings, because they want to keep the street in traditional Amsterdam style. But they want to build an entrance port in chinese style at the beginning. And they are going to start another Chinatown in another part of Amsterdam. All pics are from Flickr._
































































This is planned for The Hague (picture), Amsterdam and Rotterdam;









_Amsterdam also want to attract more people to open stores in Chinatown Amsterdam. They also want to open a Chinese hotel and cinema there._


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

PD said:


> I have not been to many of the Worlds chinatowns but Londons was not so flash, maybe due to smaller chinese pop?
> 
> Melbournes was very authentic as it is the oldest chinatown in the western world (1851).


I don't think so. Alot of HKers moved to London after the handover


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## Donkie (Mar 5, 2003)

you guys do not forget a ' Yokohama China town '


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## NorthWesternGuy (Aug 25, 2005)

Mexicali doesn´t have a Chinatown...hno:. The entire city is one:lol:


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## Juan Pilgrim (Apr 3, 2008)

*SINGAPORE*








*NEW YORK CITY (CANAL STREET, MANHATTAN)








NEW YORK CITY (FLUSHING, QUEENS)*








*MEDAN*








*MANILA*








*IPOH*










:horse:

JP


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## xlchris (Jun 23, 2006)

NorthWesternGuy said:


> Mexicali doesn´t have a Chinatown...hno:. The entire city is one:lol:


Wikipedia says that LA, ... and Mexicali have the biggest and most important Chinatown.


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## Donkie (Mar 5, 2003)

The world largest Chinatown is being built now in IL-SAN. 

btw These photos are taken for 3 years ago.


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

Whats the point of china town? Aren't immigrants supposed to integrate into society rather than living in a parallel society?


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## canadave87 (Oct 8, 2007)

goschio said:


> Whats the point of china town? Aren't immigrants supposed to integrate into society rather than living in a parallel society?


The "point" is that these areas were originally segregated from society and the fact that they've been reclaimed as a part of the city and as a tourist area is an important step.

However, that's also why I think that Toronto has the best "Chinatown", as it were, due to the level that the Chinese and other Asian populations have integrated into the city. And the traditional Chinatown on Spadina is still an interesting area to visit, to boot.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Some pictures I've taken of Toronto's old Chinatown from my photothread:


























































































































































mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... all that mouthwatering barbecue in the windows:




























The El Mocambo, just at the northern edge of Chinatown:




























inexplicably, one of these greengrocers had a big picture of Ulysees Grant, I believe... how very odd:










the dedicated streetcar right of way:
































































As many will have noticed, a good deal of "Chinatown" consists of Vietnamese shops and restaurants:














































and there are lots more of them here on my photothread:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=334362&page=41


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## tangylackey (Sep 26, 2008)

I think the best chinatown is in Washington DC, it's ridiculously small, but it looks awesome, kind of authentic.


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## canadave87 (Oct 8, 2007)

Taller said:


>


Heh... this is one of my favourite restaurants. It's cheap, and the food is amazing.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Plumber73 said:


> I'm always very conscious, every time I visit Richmond, that I'm among a minority of caucasians. I feel like a foreigner within my own city.


You shouldn't feel like a foreigner when you visit Richmond because most of those people are Canadians just like you. They're just not caucasian and many speak languages other than English or French. Canada is NOT a caucasian country. It's like saying I feel like a foreigner in my own country when I go to Nova Scotia because of all those Scottish people.

I think what you meant to say is that you're not used to being part of a minority group and the experience was an eye opener. My friend Kelly said a similar thing when she visited me in Toronto during Pride Week. As a heterosexual female she felt like a minority for the first time in her life. 

We're all Canadians.

Back to Chinatowns, I'd have to agree with the comments many people made about the one in London. I was a little disappointed when I visited. I expected something on the scale of the one here in Toronto. The one in London is tiny and felt more like a Chinese themed amusement park for tourists than a fully functioning Chinese neighbourhood.


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## Minato ku (Aug 9, 2005)

Paris has a rather big east asian community estimated at over 500,000 people, mostly composed of ethnic chinese.
There is two major chinatowns.
Anyway the majority of this population don't live and go in chinatowns because there is chinese shop everywhere in the city.
By exemple the big Tang Frere and Paris Store supermarket are located in several area in Paris metropolitan.


*Triangle d'Ivry* (13th arrondissement)
Biggest chinatown in Europe. 
It is a weird area, not at all a traditional chinatown, even if it has everything, many supermarkets, restaurant, clothing shop, banks, real estates, travel compagnies, investissor offices...
Not very attractive, made of 70's high-rises, quite secret, made of several shopping mall, many service are inside appartement. The area is often quiet it became quite busy the week ends.
There is about 10,000 shoppers per day in the biggest Tang Frere supermarket, about the same number of consumer in Paris store.
Many people see that this district is not only chinese but also Vetnamese and Cambogian.



















































































































































*Belleville*
Second chinatown of Paris, this one is habited and frequented by newer asian immigrant.
Belleville is more vibrant and more working class.

When i took picture even if the street were not crowded as usual, shops were full.


















































































There is also many smaller chinese corner that you can find every where in Paris.
The clothing district of Rue du Temple area in the 3rd is nearly completly owned by chinese but there is no sign of a chinatown exect in a small corner near Art et Metiers.
There is also similar case in the 11th arrondissment where in a district there is over hundred shop are owned by chinese without being a chinatown.


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## Jack Daniel (Jun 6, 2008)

.Adam said:


> London
> 
> We have quite a modest China town in London, but plans were released yesterday with a 2million pound budget to open a dedicated tube station, add authentic gates and dragons etc and generaly improve the area.
> The area is always busy and buzzing at night.


Wow :cheers:


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## redstone (Nov 15, 2003)

WANCH said:


> Singapore definitely. Its the only city-state where overseas Chinese composes the *majority* of the population.


Singapore's Chinatown is now nothing but a giant theme park.

All the residents were evicted in the mid 1990s for the so called urban renewal. All the buildings were mass restored and mass sold. So now there are no residents there, and the oldest shops only date back to 1995 or so. :nuts:


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## piratesean (Aug 21, 2008)

Since I don't think its been posted yet, I'll have to give a nod to Liverpool's China Town. By no means the largest, but it is one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe. Also boasts an impressive Imperial Archway (the largest outside of china) which is worth a picture at least! We still have a good Chinese New Year festival, with dragon dancers, cabbage, and those loud firecrackers


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## Minato ku (Aug 9, 2005)

A quite good picture of Belleville chinatown. (Paris)









http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2234183307/


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## Plumber73 (Mar 3, 2005)

isaidso said:


> You shouldn't feel like a foreigner when you visit Richmond because most of those people are Canadians just like you. They're just not caucasian and many speak languages other than English or French. Canada is NOT a caucasian country. It's like saying I feel like a foreigner in my own country when I go to Nova Scotia because of all those Scottish people.
> 
> I think what you meant to say is that you're not used to being part of a minority group and the experience was an eye opener. My friend Kelly said a similar thing when she visited me in Toronto during Pride Week. As a heterosexual female she felt like a minority for the first time in her life.
> 
> We're all Canadians.


Yea, I know we're all Canadians. It's just there's this feeling you get when you go to a foreign land... It's a feeling of not belonging, and I have felt that the odd time I've been in Richmond. Really, I could say the same thing about being at a party where I don't know anyone.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

redstone said:


> Singapore's Chinatown is now nothing but a giant theme park.
> 
> All the residents were evicted in the mid 1990s for the so called urban renewal. All the buildings were mass restored and mass sold. So now there are no residents there, and the oldest shops only date back to 1995 or so. :nuts:


Urban renewal does have some negative effects in some cities. HK is one. It's not as exotic as it used to be!


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## redstone (Nov 15, 2003)

WANCH said:


> Urban renewal does have some negative effects in some cities. HK is one. It's not as exotic as it used to be!


But doing this to the original "old town" of Singapore?


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## K14N (Jun 23, 2008)

Singapore's Chinatown:



Picture is taken from Panoramio


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## K14N (Jun 23, 2008)

Pics of Jalan Petaling, China Town of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:















All pics are taken from Panoramio...


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## RafflesCity (Sep 11, 2002)

Some pics of Singapore Chinatown, which is dominated by restored shophouse buildings. Whats interesting about the Chinatown is that there is a Hindu temple and mosque in it, dating from the 19th century, and adding to the mix of architectural styles and colour.


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## RafflesCity (Sep 11, 2002)

Chinatown contrasts visually with the modern skyscrapers of Singapore . (pic by aloyteo)


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

San Francisco's Chinatown during Autumn Moon Festival.
These are all my pictures.


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## HKG (Aug 2, 2006)

Good shot :hoho:
SF ChinaTown is so narrow and messy !


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

San Francisco
Sydney
New York


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Toronto


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

WANCH said:


> I don't think so. Alot of HKers moved to London after the handover


Wrong. The British government was not keen to give British citizenship to Hong Kong residents. They weren't willing to take on a few extra million people, and this was big sore point among Hong Kongers as the immigration wave continued from the 80s into the 90s leading to the handover. This is a key part of colonial Hong Kong history. I'm a bit surprised you're not aware of it even though you claim to live here. What the British conceded was a useless British National Overseas (BNO) passport, which meant nothing at all but a travel document.

As a result, many decided to settle elsewhere, such as Canada, Australia, and the US. I highly doubt London was the first choice immigration destination. It hosts a lot of Hong Kong students, but not a primary choice for family moves.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

I tend to agree that Toronto and Vancouver have the best Chinatowns in the world. From a Hong Kong Chinese perspective, you simply can get almost all you can get in Hong Kong in these two places, and in many aspects, the experience is even more progressive than back home.

In HK, it is very hard to come across a huge supermarket that sprawls over tens of thousands of square feet. Land is expensive, and stores miniaturize. Meanwhile, I can pop into a T&T in Toronto, Vancouver, or Calgary (among their other locations across the country) to find myself in a supermarket the size of a football field, equivalent to a supermarket geared for local consumers in the mainstream. All the products I can get in HK are available, in addition to selection for the mainland and Taiwanese communities. Sure, the fish are probably not as fresh and are of different species, but there are plenty of other options available.

San Francisco's Chinatown gives a vibe of the old world Chinese diaspora. With a very long history dating back to the gold rush days, many key Chinese traditions resonate, which is very different from the predominantely newer Chinese diaspora establishments in Canada, which give a very modern feel (ie. brand new Chinese shopping centres, large supermarkets, etc.). New York's Lower East Side Chinatown also gives an old world feel as well. These places offer street-side retail, oftentimes with food stalls spilling onto the streets, hence a more rugged, dirty look. I'm not a big fan of these, as even HK or China nowadays isn't like that anymore.

London's Chinatown near Leicester Square is very small. I don't think most of the Chinese community lives there anyway, and with only a few street blocks, vastly underestimates the power of the community. It does give an old world vibe, but I thought it was much cleaner than New York / San Fran.

I'm aware that Sydney has 2 key Chinatowns - one near the main railway station close to Darling Harbour, and the other in Chastwood. The first one is an old world, but there is a huge IGA in a fairly recent shopping centre which offers good selection (not as good as T&T), while the Chastwood one is quite new, somewhat like a Vancouver Richmond, but smaller.


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## Nozumi 300 (Jan 10, 2007)

Honestly, all the chinatowns that I have seen in this thread makes me think they are not a true functional chinatown but more of a tourist attraction. Thank god there is no gate in the Toronto chinatown, cause it just makes it more of a tourist destination. Also in my opinion the street lights in some of these chinatowns is just stupid.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

I don't even think the downtown Chinatown in Toronto is a true Chinatown anymore. Perhaps 50 years ago it was, but the main population has shifted away, and you won't find gates and decorated lamp-posts in Markham or Richmond Hill.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Is it because the heart of the Chinese community has moved to other areas of the city? I do recognize the population shift to Markham, etc. but what about the other elements. Do you think the downtown Chinatown is steadily declining into a Chinese 'theme park', or can it be reversed? The retail is Chinese, as are a huge percentage of the clientele, so most of them likely still live close by?

In Toronto, this kind of shift happened to the Italian community as well. Little Italy is still somewhat Italian, but the heart of the Italian community is now Corso Italia. The original Little Italy is more of an Italian themed neighbourhood, with lots of Portuguese people living there.


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

It is disheartening to think of the decline of Toronto's traditional Chinatown. 


If you were there 15 years ago, you would see a thriving centre (I think the first major Chinese mall opened in Scarborough and retail just started sprouted around new housing developements and everything just took off and the decline of Chinatown started); now it is only a shell of itself with Vietnamese and Filipino stores taking over. It's not quite a total theme park yet, I don't think it will ever degenerate to that level since there's such a huge Chinese community in Toronto. It is still much larger and better than London's Chinatown in my opinion (London = 3 times smaller and food is 2 times as expensive. I counted 1 Chinese bakery...). There is a small group of Chinese that probably live in Trinity-Spadina which is probably much reduced from the peak Chinese population of the Chinatown area. Since then, many of the Chinese have moved north of Toronto mainly for larger houses and it is neither practicable, nor necessary to travel downtown anymore. Reversing the trend will be very hard and I don't think it will ever be the same. Hopefully Cityplace will help revitalize it. 

hkskyline is very right in that the new community is much more reflective of Hong Kong, Taiwan and China of today. It is much cleaner and the food and retail variety is vastly superior than anything that can be found downtown to be honest.

I think with many overseas Chinatowns, you feel like you're in North American or European communities with a Chinese flair and influence. However, when you get to Toronto's new community, it in many ways feels.....if only for a few moments, as if you were in Hong Kong or Beijing or Shanghai. This is the key difference.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

The traditional Chinatown is still a functional community, with an Old World feel to it. I don't think a theme park is an appropriate term. It's not merely a tourist trap.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

I don't think it's anywhere close to a theme park either, but when Chinese people move out, and the businesses remain, an important element of Chinatown is removed. It may be sad to see Chinatown diminish in some regard due to the growth of newer Chinatowns elsewhere in the city, but that's just part of the fabric of a growing and diverse Toronto.

Little Italy is no longer as Italian as it once was. Traditional Jewish neighbourhoods aren't Jewish any more, Corktown isn't that Irish, and I imagine that the same thing will eventually happen to the Greek community on the Danforth, the Koreans in KoreaTown, and the South Asians in Little India. 

Traditional Portuguese areas seem set to remain so for the foreseeable future.


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## Nozumi 300 (Jan 10, 2007)

I'm revising on my comment about the Chinatown gates in Toronto, seems like East Chinatown is getting one
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/542471


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## FIDEL CASTRO (Nov 20, 2007)

There is a Chinatown in Shanghai.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Nozumi 300 said:


> Honestly, all the chinatowns that I have seen in this thread makes me think they are not a true functional chinatown but more of a tourist attraction. Thank god there is no gate in the Toronto chinatown, cause it just makes it more of a tourist destination. Also in my opinion the street lights in some of these chinatowns is just stupid.


Bearing in mind there is an inherent difference between a "Chinatown" and a real neighbourhood in China, I am curious what you would expect from a "true functional Chinatown"? Chinatown in Toronto is probably much less of a tourist attraction than you imagine, and has struck me as being highly functional.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

San Fracisco and NYC chinatowns look great. London´s nice too but a bit small. If my memory serves me right though I think there used to be a chinatown in east London (Limehouse?) but it was flattened during WW2.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

FIDEL CASTRO said:


> There is a Chinatown in Shanghai.


Weird isn't it?


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

OK, I'm confused now. Isn't Chinatown the reproduction of a Chinese community in a foreign land? Isn't all of China, a Chinatown?


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## jlshyang (May 22, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> The traditional Chinatown is still a functional community, with an Old World feel to it. I don't think a theme park is an appropriate term. It's not merely a tourist trap.


Penang's (Malaysia) chinatown would fit that description then.


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## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

*Sharing a border with the decadent North Beach, San Francisco's Chinatown is the most fabulous and reputed to be the largest.







*​


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## Magician (Sep 11, 2002)

WANCH said:


> Singapore definitely. Its the only city-state where overseas Chinese composes the *majority* of the population.


I am sorry but I think Singapore Chinatown is a joke...:lol:


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

#1. *Manhattan Chinatown* (one of the most populous Chinatowns outside of Asia)








http://www.flickr.com/photos/zemlinki/3415026969/sizes/l/


#2. *Melbourne Chinatown* (longest continuously running Chinatown outside of Asia)








http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3243146265/sizes/l/


#3. San Francisco Chinatown (one of the largest Chinatowns in both North America and the world)








http://www.flickr.com/photos/cho_gono13/2239433616/sizes/l/


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## HK999 (Jul 17, 2009)

^^ nice. wherever you travel, chinatown is not far.


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## strandeed (May 31, 2009)

Chinatown in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK


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## MeneghinofromBovisa (Nov 15, 2009)

*The modest Chinatown of Milan (Italy)*

*Via Paolo Sarpi - Paolo Sarpi Street*


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## toddhubert (Jan 6, 2008)

HKG said:


> Good shot :hoho:
> SF ChinaTown is so narrow and messy !


that poster looks cool!:lol:


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## Quintana (Dec 27, 2005)

China town in The Hague: 


















It is probably one of the more artificial ones around. Because ethnic Chinese started opening shops from the 80's onward in what was before the 2nd World War a Jewish working class area the municipality decided to designate it as a China town. Recently two gates where added to mark the entrances to the area. The place is really small, the two gates are no further than 250 meters away from each other and the total town consist out of 4 or 5 small streets.


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## heywindup (Dec 12, 2009)

FIDEL CASTRO said:


> There is a Chinatown in Shanghai.


Are you referring to the Yuyuan area around the gardens? I don't think they consider that as a "Chinatown" -- more like a historic traditional neighborhood.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Chinatowns in Europe are really quite pathetic when compared to their counterparts in the Americas and Australia.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

We tend to have larger, and more established Chinese communities in America and Australia. Toronto counts over half a million Chinese. There are large Chinese communities in Vancouver and San Francisco as well. 

What's European city has the largest Chinese population? I imagine it's London?


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