Los Angeles Little Tokyo

The Basics

With its downtown location, Little Tokyo is not often part of Los Angeles sightseeing tours that typically focus on the Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood areas, but some hop-on hop-off bus tour routes include a Little Tokyo stop. The main attractions in the neighborhood are the Japanese Village Plaza shopping and dining district, the Japanese American National Museum, and the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, one of the three branches of the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

Other sights to see include a monument to Japanese American astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka, who died aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986; the Go For Broke Monument, which honors Japanese Americans who served in the American military during World War II; Buddhist temples; and the Japanese garden at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Little Tokyo is a must for food lovers and those looking to get off the beaten tourist path in LA.
• The heart of the neighborhood is roughly bordered by E. 3rd Street, S. Los Angeles Street, E. Temple Street, and S. Alameda Street.
• Paid public parking lots and street parking are available.

How to Get There

You can reach Little Tokyo on the Metro Gold, Red, and Purple lines. The neighborhood is less than a mile walk from Walt Disney Concert Hall along E. 1st Street.

When to Get There

Go on the weekends to enjoy the bustling atmosphere, or check out jazz or karaoke bars in the evening. Events in Little Tokyo include the Tanabata Festival in August and the Oshogatsu New Year’s Festival.

Japanese American National Museum

Open daily except Monday, the Japanese American National Museum is dedicated to promoting and educating the public about the Japanese American experience. Exhibits feature diverse subjects such as stories of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, displays of Japanese toys, Japanese art, and the tradition of Japanese tattoos.