Fodor's Expert Review Buchanan Mall

The shops lining this open-air mall next to the Peace Plaza (look for the giant pagoda) are geared more toward locals, but there are some fun Japanese-goods stores here, too. Start your exploration with exquisite Japanese homewares in a gallery-like space at SF76 ( 1758 Buchanan St.  www.sf-76.com). Look for Hasami and Tomoro pottery and ceramics by local artists. It's easy to spend hours among the fabulous origami and craft papers at Paper Tree ( 1743 Buchanan St. paper-tree.com). After shop browsing, have a seat on the steps around local artist Ruth Asawa's twin origami-style fountains, which sit in the middle of the mall. Wrap up a visit with lunch at Hinodeya Ramen ( 1737 Buchanan St. hinodeyaramen.com), serving lighter dashi (clear-broth) ramen, a rarity in the city.