Partners in History 

It’s only fitting that the Kraken and National Hockey League are skating, full hockey-stop south toward the Mariners’ home ballpark and the city’s vibrant Chinatown-International District (CID) to stage the 2024 NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. That’s because Seattle’s hockey origins and the venerable neighborhood share more than a century of side-by-side rich history in our city.

The CID dates back to the late 1800s and the Seattle Metropolitans, who famously were the first American team to win the hallowed Stanley Cup in 1917, and original members of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association professional league established in 1915. When the Metropolitans played to sellout crowds of 2,500 at Seattle Ice Arena (5^th Avenue and University Street), the nearby Chinatown-International District enclave was already bustling though not yet the 23-acre expanse it is today.

“What's important for people to recognize about the neighborhood, one of the oldest in the city, is that it was and still is a space where immigrants could feel like they belong,” said Jamie Lee, co-director of the Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Association. “They can meet people that speak the same language and buy goods and things they’re used to back in their home countries.”

This holiday season represents an inviting opportunity for hockey fans gathering in Seattle to watch the NHL’s two newest franchises face off in an outdoor game that equally harkens back to the roots of the sport. Fans, whether from out of town/country or living in the greater Seattle area, can enjoy the attractions of the CID, which of course might most notably start with cuisine.

But before we go foodie on ourselves, note neighborhood jewel, the Wing Luke Museum, has an ongoing exhibit, “Be Water, My Friends: The Teachings of Bruce Lee,” which is fascinating, deeply thought-provoking and fun all at the same time (the museum is open every day during the Winter Classic run-up except New Year’s Day, which is OK since even Bruce Lee devotees will be tuning into the Kraken spotlight game on TNT that noontime anyway, right?).

Another CID attraction not replicated in most Chinatowns across our nation is Hing Hay Park, which is the heart of the district for both connections and activities. People gather here daily, especially the elders who have blazed the trail for current and future family generations. They play here, too. It’s common to see a table tennis tournament set up with plenty of onlookers who, ahem, stay longer than planned.

Back to eating: Jamie Lee points out a delicious difference between our Chinatown-International District and other such neighborhoods in the likes of San Francisco, New York, and Chicago among others.

“The first thing people would be surprised about our CID is how they can get Chinese food and sushi and Vietnamese food and Thai food and stop at a Filipino bakery,” said Lee. “It’s more pan-Asian and it’s a lot of different types of foods and dishes.”

The Winter Classic practice day is Dec. 31 and the Jan. 1 game day puck drop is 12 noon – so maybe dim sum pre-game and choices such as pad thai or sushi or catfish in a claypot after the Pacific Division matchup is over and the good guys win? One must-stop location for fans on practice day (which includes the free experiential NHL Fan Village) is famed Uwajimaya Seattle, which started as a family grocery in 1928 specializing in Japanese goods when the Mercer Arena opened as the brand-new home of a new Seattle franchise in a new minor pro hockey league with the legendary Metropolitans coach Pete Muldoon as coach and part owner.

Uwajimaya, open Dec. 31 but not Jan. 1, features a food hall with samplings of several Asian cuisines, a full-service seafood counter and sashimi bar, and Royce Chocolates (the famed chocolate from Hokkaido, Japan). The array of choices – including beanfish pancakes with many fillings will be a hit with kids and adults alike. Denise Moriguchi, President & CEO of Uwajimaya, and granddaughter of its founders, said the Dochi stand is wildly popular. She also recognizes how much Uwajimaya has a role in anchoring the neighborhood where some 4,000 residents live and work and traverse among hundreds or even thousands of visitors every day, especially on weekends. Uwajimaya counts “loyalists” who visit frequently for shopping list needs and “explorers” who go to the store to learn and discover new foods, tastes, and Asian cultures.

"There are a lot of people who care about this neighborhood continuing to thrive and grow [especially post-pandemic],” said Moriguchi. "Some of the other cities' Chinatown areas haven't been thriving and I think our Chinatown International District has had challenges for sure but there are a lot of people who really care about this neighborhood’s future. We want to make sure we are part of that. And not just for our business, but to provide that connection with both past and future with Asia being part of the Seattle fabric and community...I’ve come to realize it’s not just about running a grocery store but making sure we support continued success in the neighborhood.”

Morguchi’s mention of “challenges” are verified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which this year named Seattle’s CID among the “11 most endangered historic places facing possible neighborhood disruption, displacement and gentrification” of, this case, some 4,000 residents who live inside the 23 acres of urban landscape. Fans can do their part during Winter Classic festivities.

People like Jamie Lee and her co-director at the CID Preservation and Development Authority, Jared Jonson, are on the front lines of melding the past, present, and future of Seattle’s treasured Chinatown-International District.

“As a chartered organization, we've been around 48 years,” said Lee, who adopted Seattle and especially the CID as her new home when arriving in town for the first year of college and finding her family’s traditional meals were available just the way her elders prepared them. “Our goal is really to preserve, promote, and develop the neighborhood in the way that feels the most authentic. Sometimes people think that means keeping it exactly the same as the way it was. That's not realistic...what we really want to do is make sure [CID] continues to be a place where people can feel welcome while also growing businesses and growing families, advancing in that way.”