Many people driving by elegant Japantown appreciate the graceful architecture of the pagodas and fountains but do not know much about the Japanese community that has long been a vibrant part of San Francisco. Japantown--one of only three left in this country--began as Nihonjinmachi, or "Japanese People's Town," after the first Japanese arrived here in 1869. As their numbers increased, institutions arose to serve them, including churches, schools,...