Easily one of the most … unique things to do in Saigon is to pop into the small maze of alleyways behind the entrance of Hem 15b Le Than Thon. I remember meeting a guy once who kept talking about how he really wanted to try the ramen in the Japanese area in District 1 and being completely confused as to what he was talking about.
What was he on about a Little Japan in District 1? Funny enough, after that meeting, a friend messaged me not even a week later to ask me if I wanted to get ramen near where she was getting a pedicure. Japan has had a foothold in Vietnam for a few hundred years at least. Most major cities around Southeast Asia had nihonmachi , or Japanese communities and Vietnam was no exception. Of course, things kicked off even more when Japan decided it wanted to be an imperial empire.
It invaded Vietnam specifically in , interrupting French occupation of the country, and stayed there until the end of World War II in It grew to offer cheap housing and hotel rooms for local Japanese people and expand to more restaurants, massage parlors, bars, and more. Little Japan is a very odd mix of things, which I guess you could kind of say Japan itself is too um hello to the culture that brought us the beauty of ryokans while also scarring us with the idea of octopus erotica.
Little Japan is right in District 1 in the Ben Nghe neighborhood; pretty much just plug it into your grab ride. Make sure you enter at the 15B entrance, not the 15A.
Above is what the entrance to the alleyway looks like. You can plug in one of the restaurants or even just 15b Le Than Thon, and the grab driver will know. Of course, the main reason to come to Little Japan is to eat all the delicious, authentic food here. Why do you think I keep coming back?! Keep in mind, Little Japan like the rest of Saigon is constantly changing. Restuarants will open and close pretty frequently, so always double check that a place exists before you go! Another thing to note is opening times.
