The Panama hotel is such a special place and I was lucky to learn about its history and that of the Japanese neighborhood from Jan, its wonderful owner, carer and advocate. The Japanese neighborhood never recovered after the Pearl Harbor bombing and the Panama is one of the few buildings left from before the second world war, designed by a Japanese architect who was a pioneer in sustainable buildings. It hides a traditional Japanese bathhouse in its basement, one of the few originals left in north America. The back alley has some street art about the history of Japan town, there are a couple of wonderful Japanese restaurants and bars on that block and across the road and the Panama tearoom is a very beautiful and indulgent place. The rooms have a lot of character and everything was clean, hot water in the shower and never had to wait to go to the bathroom. Jan is an incredible host and an inspiring person. Staying at the Panama was a very special experience and I'm grateful to have found it. Staying there feels like rescuing history, at least by learning about it