Walking Seattle's Depressing Chinatown-International District in April 2023
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- The Chinatown-International District is a neighborhood in Seattle, WA which is historically home to three different ethnic enclaves : Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon. The streets are decorated with colorful lanterns, and the architecture includes a mix of historic and contemporary buildings. However, certain areas of the district are severely mismanaged with many people in need of help. It probably was very lively in the past, but today it needs a lot of work if business and commerce are to return to the area.
Google Maps Route: goo.gl/maps/hx...
Recorded April 26, 2023
💲 Support Me 💲
💵 PayPal: paypal.me/acti...
💵 Cash App: $actionkid
💵 Patreon: / actionkid
💵 Merchandise Store: the-actionkid-...
😀 Social 😀
📸 My website: www.actionkidtv...
📸 Follow me on Instagram: / actionkidtv
📸 Follow me on Twitter: / actionkidtv
📸 Discord Server : / discord
*******************************************************
The links below contain Amazon affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission from your purchases. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recorded Using
iPhone 13 Pro
MOZA Mini MX Smartphone Gimbal: amzn.to/37S7VMP
DJI Mic: amzn.to/3u4BrpZ
Clothing & Accessories
Fenix TK16 v2.0 Tactical Flashlight: amzn.to/3OGokEG
Fenix PD36R 1600 Lumen CREE Tactical Flashlight: amzn.to/3MDTM4u
Fenix E09R 600 Lumen USB-C Rechargeable Flashlight: amzn.to/38sG1qF
Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella: amzn.to/3Kp90Jm
Repel Reverse Folding Inverted Umbrella: amzn.to/3KygOZq
LowePro Photo Classic 300 AW: amzn.to/3Lu2UIO
Powerextra Professional Waterproof Little DSLR Camera Backpack: amzn.to/3LtpG3G
Shungite Bracelet: amzn.to/3vqcPtq
Shungite Necklace: amzn.to/3y1gGyJ
Apple AirPods (3rd Generation): amzn.to/3OHqqUN
Bicycle/Electric Scooter Gear
Addmotor CityPro E-43 Electric Bicycle
Priority Bike Ace of Clubs
Segway Ninebot MAX: amzn.to/3Kw1YCl
Lumos Ultra Smart Bike Helmet: amzn.to/3rV8uvZ
NEIKO High Visibility Safety Vest: amzn.to/3yh1yxB
Cygolite Dash Pro 600 Bike Light: amzn.to/3rZavaG
Cygolite Hotrod 50 Lumen Bike Light: amzn.to/3EYRaM1
Kryptonite New York Standard U Lock: amzn.to/38ym6Xb
VUP Bike & Scooter Phone Mount: amzn.to/37MLnNE
GoPro Performance Chest Mount: amzn.to/3y1fYS5
Topeak MTX Trunk Bag: amzn.to/3vR4wG3
Video Editing Software & Hardware
CyberLink PowerDirector: amzn.to/3kqrNJH
Intel Core i9-12900K Desktop Processor: amzn.to/3LuDmLH
GeForce RTX 3090: amzn.to/3klv4d5
WD Blue SN570 NVMe SSD 1TB: amzn.to/3EWRef8
WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD 1TB: amzn.to/3vPNKam
Anker USB 3.0 Card Reader: amzn.to/3LzgTgM
Camera Equipment I Often Use
Rode SmartLav+ Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphone: amzn.to/3Lnx1BI
Apple Lightning to 3.55mm Headphone Adapter: amzn.to/3EVPiDI
DJI Pocket 2: amzn.to/3LupDEz
Samsung 128GB microSD Card: amzn.to/3EXCVXU
Rode Lavalier GO Microphone: amzn.to/3xX0COF
Tascam DR-10L Portable Digital Audio Recorder: amzn.to/3vsuAsg
Scotty Makes Stuff DJI Pocket 2 Pro Case: scottymakesstu...
Belkin 3.5mm Audio and Charge Rockstar: amzn.to/37K1OKF
GoPro Suction Cup Mount: amzn.to/3vqpH2P
Smartphone Holder w/GoPro Style Mount Attachment: amzn.to/3MEz8kM
GoPro HERO8 Black: amzn.to/3kmUiI9
Rode Wireless Go 2: amzn.to/3klqIma
GoPro MAX - Waterproof 360 + Traditional Camera with Touch Screen Spherical 5.6K30 HD Video: amzn.to/3vS5bqB
Anker PowerCore 10000 USB-C Power Bank: amzn.to/3EYQA0T
Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Bank: amzn.to/3rXBJym
Anker Powerline+ III Lightning Cables: amzn.to/3EWU2ZI
There isn’t a large city in America where you won’t find nice, lively areas coexisting with depressed, underutilized areas. I like that AK showed this area of the city. It’s reality, but it doesn’t define ALL of the Seattle area. We shouldn’t be shocked or surprised, but instead reminded to not live in a bubble - there is good and bad everywhere.
😂 if you say so..
It's important to shed light on the struggles of this neighborhood and bring attention to the areas that need improvement. Hopefully, by raising awareness, we can encourage action to revitalize the Chinatown-International District and bring back its vibrancy and culture.
I totally agree, it needs improvement and it’s sad to see the International district in a state of decline.
Thank you for your candid representation of this area, focusing on what positives you could. It's always wise to trust your instincts. Keep safe.
Much appreciated, thank you so much for your well wishes.
I was born and raised in Seattle, China town used to be a very thriving and busy community, when I was a child there was so much to see, so much activity that would make me shake with excitement. I grew up in the 60's and visiting the International district was like being in China for me. Is so sad to see it like this. Hopefully, it can thrive again, hopefully, when I visit my home town, things will look and be a lot better. Love Seattle, will always be home❤
Why has it changed? I was very surprised to discover this.
I hope we can revisit those days when it was a busy and thriving community someday!
A lot of the businesses are gone, it is true, but a lot of the community is investing in itself. No one in the CID wants large-scale redevelopment coming in to erase the small family businesses, even if they don't look fashionable. Inviting huge developers into the neighborhood is going to turn it into a McChinatown version of what it is. We want help with our troubled, houseless neighbors, as you well-noticed.
Again, please come back during the day. Stop by the Wing Luke, go eat at Tai Tung or any one of the dozens of amazing restaurants that are open during the day. There's so much to enjoy.
I walk to the International District once a week from the Central District of Seattle. i find each little section to be hubs of activity! Tourists are getting food to go, going to The Jade Garden, Tai Tung, the bakeries, shops! Uwajmaya is always bustling with people. Tai Tung has been in the ID for over 85 years, owned by one family. People from all over the world come to the ID to go there! I have met people from Puerto Rico, Ireland, and Italy at Tai Tung. Your article seems a little one-sided . Like i stated, I walk through The International District weekly and find it vibrant with tourists walking, enjoying each restaurant, market, and shop!! My opinion, my experiences!!
Definitely an interesting area, though I don't think the people at 20:25 seemed mentally ill. People can look a certain way and be fine. They didn't seem to be doing anything unusual. Somebody walking down the street that looks "normal" can have problems that people don't know about, either. Hopefully the area comes back. It is important to see different areas.
Lol, I don't think AK was talking specifically about those two fellows .. they seemed totally fine.
While yes, this is technically correct, in general if someone looks like trouble, they stand a much higher chance of being trouble than a guy that looks professional. Who would you rather have walking towards you at night….a guy in dress clothes or a guy that looks like a hobo?
There are a lot of drug users and people selling stolen goods at night. AK made the right decision to turn around and walk back towards the light rail station.
@@robertsabharwal9787 He wasn't.
The Chinatown Gate looks beautiful, and the dragon on the utility pole adds a nice touch. 😍 I wonder if this area is more lively on the weekends. It is sad to see many vacant spaces, and hopefully, the city will do something to improve the area and help the people in need. 🙏🏻 Thank you for sharing this coverage of the CID, AK. 🤗
Thanks so much for watching, the International District needs a lot of help and I wish it can be revitalized.
I was in Seattle last year, it has a lot of natural beauty, I explored Chinatown and of all the chinatowns I've visited in many cities, it was the one I least enjoyed, hopefully they do something to improve it. I didnt felt safe either walking Jackson street.
If you go up near Little Saigon on Jackson. They have a police mobile vehicle parked in a parking lot and officers on bike patrol. I agree, the city leaders must do more to improve.
It’s in a terrible state and I didn’t really feel safe walking on Jackson Street.
You missed most of Japantown, sorry to say... it's more on S. Main and the side streets, North of Jackson. While the CID does have some major issues you hit it at an awkwardly quiet time and yes, many businesses DO close for a few weeks in March/April before things get busy in May-August.
Thank you AK for sharing , so very sad to see many places boarded up , the Chinatown gateway is beautiful and it’s a shame this historic area is being neglected , prayers 🙏🙏
Thank you so much! The Chinatown gate is very nice and I enjoyed the area immediately around it. Most of the district is very neglected
When you peel back the skin of Seattle, it is a sad depressed city. Lots of closed business and lifeless individuals. It lacks the spark of NYC, Boston or L.A.
Not really though? Spoken by someone who obviously has spent little to no time here
Define what you mean by spark. Seattle has as much potential as those other cities easily, but is being held back by horribly corrupt government and city management, as well as nowhere near enough cops and no ability for them to do their jobs because they've essentially stripped them of all their tools and powers. Criminals run the city, for now at least.
Love Seattle & the International District, but keep moaning- discourage people moving here.
Nice Chinatown gate at the start 2:24 nice park 5:42 nice neighborhood and nice buildings ,nice restaurants 8:52 , 9:25 😎Overal mostly enjoyable walk despite the depressing parts of the neighborhood 🙂Thank you for sharing A K 🙂👍!!!
My pleasure! There are some areas near the Chinatown gate which are nice, but much of the district leaves something else to be desired 😢
Thank your Seattle City Council for this condition
Love your tours! Great coverage of unvisited areas. Thank You
You’re welcome!
Our Chinatown never recovered after the Covid lockdown and after everything was boarded up because of the Black Lives Matter protests. This used to be a bustling part of town, nowadays it’s a shell of its former self sadly.
Thank you for slowing down again in front of the Bruce Lee mural! It is absolutely amazing!
Tai Tung has great food and a lively clientele
AK! Thank you for not sugar coating your disappointment in the way the city has essentially forfeited the ID to the immeasurable plight of a once gorgeous city. Over the past 10 years, the city doesn’t effectively address the mental health crisis which has many origins based on many other systemic failures, but the city just essentially picks a section that’s “less dense” with tourism and funnels the homeless out of the downtown corridor and into these areas…SODO, CID, Interbay, Ballard … the outskirts get into a rotation of being overrun, cleaned up, then enjoyed for a time until it’s their turn to get the “tent villages” again. We moved back to Miami from Seattle in 2017 after it became way too volatile to move freely about the city…as you can see it’s absolutely gorgeous in terms of natural environment and innovation…unfortunately the administration has been neglected so long, that it’s likely going to take another decade of consistent effort to recover and get the people the attention and the place they need. Sadly it’s become a have/have not and only the best “just deal with it and go on about your day” attitudes can really survive. I think a lot of people tend to want to stay positive and only point out the nice parts but then the city just gets another pass with “people are still enjoying it, what’s the rush to help anyone”…Seattle will always have my heart, but it’s still a bit too unpredictable to return full time. 🙏🙌👍
Sad to see the Int'l District become what it is today. It used to be such a great lively place to eat and shop.
Sunday afternoons were for Bruce Lee movies back in the 1970's growing up 😊
Your walk could have been much worse.
@ June 2022, Seattle's King County Homeless Regional Authority (KCHRA) wanted to place a 4 acre Mega Shelter - 450 beds, 50 Tiny Homes, 50 RV parking spots, the City's Drunk Tank and a 24/7 Mental Health Clinic - 3 blocks South of the Transit Station at start of video. Construction was scheduled to be implemented 12/2022. Thankfully it got cancelled when the elderly Chinatown residents got notice of it and marched to City Hall, King County Courthouse and actual site and voiced their concerns about Personal Safety and the fear that Chinatown would be destroyed by the Crime and Drug use that a large Homeless facility would attract. This was @ Sept/Oct 2022.
A Shelter is not a jail, so where do people go after breakfast is served and people are asked to leave? South is Industrial, West are the Stadiums, East is I-5 with a steep hill AND North is Chinatown with a nice Park to do drugs in, businesses to steal from, restaurant patrons to beg and harass and alleyways for drug dealing and bathroom purposes. It would be a horrible mess of a neighborhood where the residents would leave, businesses and restaurants would close and the developers would buy out the properties, tear down historical buildings and build expensive towers.
We appreciate your walk because it gives a good timestamp of the area. One hopes a unique and historical neighborhood like this will always exist and hopefully thrive.
I was worried for you AK, said a prayer for you. And a prayer for the neighborhoods as they obviously need lots of help.
Good Sunday Morning My Friend IAM Hoping That You Are Having A Good Day That Chinatown Is Huge And Beautiful Thank You So Much For Educating All Of Us About This Historic City Much Blessings And Love Always Ms British Gray From Tampa Florida ❤😊 3:11
The gate is magnificent at the entrance , given time it would be a shame to lose China town international district after hearing the history. We can only hope the city can rebuild again thankyou for sharing this experience .
Yes, let’s hope it is rebuilt
I haven't even seen one bicyclist out
Thank you for sharing a very city area there in Seattle.
wow the last time i was in chinatown in seattle was in the 1990s and it was really clean and busy. so sad to see it like this.
21:12 walking through this area you surely need to be observant around your surroundings
The only time I have ventured into Chinatown was in the 90's to find Uwajimaya Market. The area was completely underwhelming then and there is so much anti-Asian crime now I won't go back. Two years ago the city had the nerve to decide without citizen input to place a rehab and drug treatment complex there. The population rose up and fought and won! It's the last thing they needed!
Several ppl in need indeed and there are buildings that are empty so sad!
Too bad for so many areas neglected. Hope you’re enjoying your adventures.
Thank you!
Ohh cool, thanks for answering. Beautiful light poles.
The grand entrance to China Town Seattle remains a beautiful landmarks, one cannot deny the fact that economic vibrancy in China Town is some what below some expectations, needless to say timing is every thing...by weekends, more people will patronise the place. thanks AK for the highlight of other Japan Town nearby....being the 1st immigrants lived here in its early history's, more Chinese descendants have moved to other parts of USA 🇺🇸
Much appreciated, thank you for your support!
The area comes alive on weekends. The theater in Chinatown gets used by small, local artists. ...just be careful at night since other cities ship their problem people to this neighborhood.
@29:12 if u walked further, there is a place that makes really good bahn mi. Not to mention pho bac is also down that way.
Seattle Chinatown reminds me of Liverpool Chinatown, England. Small area, not many Chinese businesses. Sad to see the area not thriving.
It is very sad to see!
Gentrification
Gentrification is the biggest problem in certain neighborhoods. I'm not surprised that Seattle CID isn't immune to development, social services and high rent prices that forced many people to move out to the outer fringes of the city. Its been a long term issue in other cities like Seattle.
Drugs is the biggest problem
Thanks for showing this part of Seattle. I really haven’t visited it much as a long time resident. Your video reveals the challenge the area has. Will need to go visit again sometime. The Wing Luke museum is supposed to be worthwhile.
Do not base your opinion on a video taken after 7 p.m. on a Wednesday. I work there (9-5, when most employees are there) and he doesn't know what he's looking at or what he's saying. Yes, there are a homeless people - tell King County to stop putting all the shelters in Chinatown and Pioneer Square.
The Wing is a great idea of a first stop in the neighborhood. They have tours where they can help you understand the neighborhood, and the food is great.
20:25 I'll not give you my beer. 😅
The Kabota garden is also a great place in Seattle. “ South Seattle”
Has anybody heard about the chaos that has been going on in Seattle the past 3 years?
Right. People are so delusional about what's going on in this country.
SEA was booming and lively until 2020 when the lockdowns happened. This decay is engineered, look at all the once-great coastal cities, now all a morass of drug addiction and immorality. Sad.
I only clicked on this video to comment because of "Seattle's Depressing" in the title
By Joe's Bar and Grill look like it has a dragon on the light pole
Very apocalyptic looking. So desolate. It's best that you don't go to certain places alone, because it's not safe. Good points about it are the nice murals. Hopefully, someone can do something about this area to revitalize it. Cheers! ✌️
Hello....have you seen the huge presence of Asians in Seattle Washington? I feel Chinatown was a safe place/space for Asians at one point in time and Asians have branched out over Seattle and that's probably why this neighborhood is abandoned.
I didn’t really feel safe walking this area on Jackson street at all
@@ActionKid I understand Actionkid. 😔 U probably had an expectation and was caught off guard at what u saw in this Chinatown...but again Asians have thrived in Seattle Washington and moved away from that area and now squatters are habitating the area. Be safe AK🫂
Thanks--saved me a trip!
That area diffidently needs revitalization by the city planners. It’s a beautiful place with the murals.
The city planners are too busy lining their own pockets and profiting off of the squalor and degradation of the city.
I love how when you see certain people you walk farther away from them, it's what I would do too!
Growing up in Seattle I never really went to Chinatown, but I did always go to Uwajimaya, which is this awesome Japanese grocery store that has a lot of great quality items, and a nice food court. But Chinatown in Seattle is not the best. It's always been very creepy quiet. I think the best Chinatown is in San Francisco, if I were to pick a favorite.
Used to love uwajimaya. My aunt used to take me to the one at southcenter
The Bush Garden was great Japanese an sushi b4 COVID, I used to eat and buy fish there weekly. Used…,😢
I think queens Chinatown is the best in USA. It feels like I traveled to a small city in China
Our Chinatown has always been, and is, fine
Got call turning back 29:17 AK
That restaurant was closed for vacation pretty cool. I’m seeing a lot of that lately with some non Americanized businesses in my area. Many businesses are being conscientious of their own employees and themselves, cool!
Sadly though, what you saw there in that section AK is what is common in Seattle. Its gone quite downhill within the last 5-7 years.
Just save me a trip going there thanks action kidd
Such a contrast comparing to your previous videos from Emerald City. Thanks for showing different sides of the city life)
I live in Seattle and Chinatown is a huge letdown. It's extremely unsafe to be there, having been overrun by criminals, homeless encampments, drug dealers, etc. Foot traffic is light, the businesses look run down. Japantown is a tiny shell of its former self, having been destroyed by the internment of all persons of Japanese ancestry during World War 2. The criminals in Chinatown are not even Chinese...
You're wrong, it's not unsafe unless maybe you're out late at night and then really anywhere would be unsafe. There's a variety of food and shops to be found. You claim you live here, maybe venture out of your bubble
@@illuminahara used to be able to go to Tai Tung after the bars closed at 2AM. The area was once more vibrant. COVID and poor decisions by Seattle City Council. Sad
@@illuminahara - No, you are wrong. I’ve lived here for decades. It’s a dump. The city wants to dump homeless shelters all over here. This neighborhood is notorious.
@@rcrinsea it's really not a dump. Spoken by someone who probably doesn't even visit the city and lives way out in the suburbs. If it was such a dump, then there wouldn't be businesses, shops and restaurants popping up because there would be no one that frequented them. Concern over homelessness etc is valid but that doesn't affect the ID exclusively and somehow business finds a way to continue on through it all.
@@illuminahara - You are quite presumptuous. I live in North Seattle and used to live on Beacon Hill. I have never lived in the suburbs...
Thank you for posting. I was hoping it would be like San Francisco's Chinatown
BRO, you need to be careful walking around there at night, alot of asian gangs an robbers come out at night 🌃 !
Smart to listen to your instincts.
And if this was depressing - did you visit Pioneer Square?
Thank you for sharing. This is the 1st Chinatown I've seen that's so quite.
I'm there all the time downtown and always thinking how strangely quiet it is compared to other major cities. The only people out and about are fentanyl addicts and dealers and a few other criminals and homeless.
I'd be walkin in 2's in that area bruh
14:31 looks like a scene out of the old and iconic Twilight Zone TV series
You missed Uwajimaya food court and store. Very busy place.
26:43 funny you don't see many Asians walking around in this area
You actually have to keep walking to where the food and markers are
All of Seattle is kind of depressing but you get used to it. Or if you have a lot of money you can just go live in Bellevue.
Bellevue is a soulless city, with no character.
Hi Ken.well as in many cities Covid killed much of this and does not seem that they will come back
No... it wasn't covid...it was the Lockdowns that closed the stores.
Have a good resting up of your Sunday AK! Enjoy have fun
This district was incredibly safe, lively, and fun in the late 80s, throughout the 90s and early 2000s. It's a complete shame now.
This is sad and depressing to watch.
❤
homeless here even more aggro than nyc, be careful bro
Believe it or not, some of the stores you think are closed are actually still open for business
Great observations AK.
Hey there AK from Long Island New
Looks promising with the gate & the dragon 🐉 on the pole but then you notice that nothing is going on & nobody is around. My best guess is the pandemic wiped out many businesses & it will take a new generation to revitalize the district. 🐼
You mean govt imposed shutdowns killed businesses. Actual people made those decisions. They chose to close businesses, reduce police forces, etc.
Actionkid which is your favorite Chinatown in the country? For me I like Philly Chinatwon and Flushing Chinatown
Nice.Thankyou
No wonder why my friend didn't want to bring me around there. And he's one to talk up seattle LOL
Visiting Seattle today and though I love Chinese and Asian culture, I guess there’s not much to see in that neighborhood. So thanks for the heads up.
WOW! That's cool and the purple bus went the opposite way before
We just moved out of that building on 10th and Jackson. That's my integra sitting on king st. Lolol it got stolen and destroyed 😢I have two sons 6 and 9 that saw hell living there. It's good to see a record of my integra tho. It was built af.
If you really want to see something depressing, come to Trenton, NJ
Yeah... That's the first thing I was thinking it's Sunday. Even though it's different time zone where are the people?
I was surprised to see this was on a Wednesday. Used to be a bit more vibrant people wise…next week starts a lot of Amazon’s return to office…maybe that will bring the dinner crowd out a little more?
But yeah it’s always been a mixture of youthfully vibrant and ghetto
Are parking rates ONLY in English or how many languages.
im surprised at how desolate it looks. kinda like DC's chinatown
DC...another city with lots of depressing areas where you'd expect it to be thriving
What is that on that pole? IS that a decoration wrapped around that pole... Flag or something
Depressing
I think Seattle is not a good Tourist Destination for Europeans
Looks fine to me.
WOW! That statue is wild
Who are the monuments for in the first few secs of your vid?
Depressing ouch lol ..
New York honesty. Hehe
🦜what day/time of the week was this filmed? Just seems like a quiet town. I wouldn't say depressed 🤨
Yeah, everyone seems to love being dramatic
@My Name no offense but it sounds like you might be the one with the depression. Every major city has its issues. Having such a subjectively negative opinion about where you live can't be good for you.
Seattle looks a lot like Vancouver British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦
China Town in London is in a smaller area than Seattle but is super busy due to where it's located right in the central part of the west end plenty of foot full. If your in a depreciating area of town your not going to do well.
So sad. My great grandmother would have been heartbroken seeing this. She's in a better place now. In Taiwan.
I worked at a bar called Bottoms Up by the Hicksville train 😂
23:31 What is the difference between their streetcar system and the regular bus?
SAD, portlands has been destroyed
Seattle Chinatown was terrible 14 years ago when I visited too.
u should speak to some locals