02/27/2026
San Francisco’s Japantown is one of only three remaining historic Japanese American communities in the U.S. It has survived war, redevelopment, and decades of change. But today, many of its elders face a quieter crisis: economic strain and growing isolation.
With fixed incomes and rising rents, many seniors are being displaced from the neighborhoods that anchor their cultural and spiritual lives. Add transportation barriers, and “aging in place” can quickly become aging in isolation.
Research is clear: social connection is not optional. It’s essential to health. Access to community, faith institutions, shared meals, and cultural spaces can be just as important as access to medical care.
As we think about aging with dignity in San Francisco, mobility and social connection must be part of the conversation.
OPINION: Japantown is a prime example of how transportation barriers make it difficult for many seniors to reach medical care and community life, Mayumi Dojima writes.