Seattle, Washington story
A Century of Resilience
In the heart of the International District, there's a restaurant that has served as a symbol of survival for over a hundred years. Maneki opened in 1904, originally designed to lo…
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In the heart of the International District, there's a restaurant that has served as a symbol of survival for over a hundred years. Maneki opened in 1904, originally designed to look like a Japanese castle. It's recognized as Seattle's first sushi bar and holds a poignant place in history as the only restaurant in Japantown to survive the anti-Japanese discrimination of World War Two.
After the wartime internment and damage to its original building, it reopened a block south at Sixth and Main. Today, it's an America's Classics restaurant, still serving loyal regulars with the same spirit of resilience it's had since the beginning.
Updated June 2026