Little Tokyo is one of only three remaining Japantowns in the United States — a compact neighbourhood in downtown LA that has been the centre of Southern California's Japanese-American community since the early 1900s and still contains the restaurants, markets, temples, and cultural institutions that make it the most authentic Japanese neighbourhood outside of Japan in the Americas.
The Japanese American National Museum, in a converted Buddhist temple on First Street, tells the story of Japanese immigration to America with particular focus on the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II — one of the most shameful episodes in American history, documented here through personal artifacts, photographs, and the testimonies of survivors. The museum is essential for understanding both the community and the country.
The food is exceptional — Daikokuya (the ramen shop with the perpetual queue), Sushi Gen (the sushi counter where off-duty Japanese chefs eat), Fugetsu-Do (a mochi shop operating since 1903), and the Japanese Village Plaza's food stalls serving takoyaki, taiyaki, and the Japanese snacks that are difficult to find this authentic outside of Japan. Little Tokyo is walkable, compact, and connected to the Arts District on its eastern edge, making it a natural pairing for a downtown walking day.
Verified Facts
Little Tokyo is one of three remaining Japantowns in the US
Fugetsu-Do mochi shop has been operating since 1903
120,000 Japanese Americans were interned during WWII
The Japanese American National Museum is in a converted Buddhist temple
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Los Angeles, United States
