A Stroll of Little Tokyo
–Meiko Kodaira 7/2003

Have you been to Little Tokyo lately? If not, maybe a little history will encourage you to explore its sights. Little Tokyo, located east of Downtown Los Angeles, is the biggest Japanese town in America. It is said that the opening of a few Japanese restaurants on First Street in 1886 marks its beginning. After that, many Japanese immigrants started to move in nearby. By 1900, 2000 Japanese had already settled there, and by 1934, the biggest ex-patriot Japanese festival in the world, “Nisei Week,” was begun.

During World War II, Japanese-Americans had to go through a lot of hardships. A lot of Japanese were forced to go to camps, and the now-empty Little Tokyo was taken over by other interests. However, after the war, Japanese-Americans got Little Tokyo back, and “Nisei Week” started up once again.

Thus, Little Tokyo has a long history and has functioned as the spiritual hometown of Japanese-America. It is not showy or posh, but rather makes you feel at home and at ease. There a lot of things to see packed into this little town. You can walk and do some sightseeing in just one day. Here are some of the highlights.

Japanese American National Museum

Founded in 1992. This museum was opened to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by preserving, interpreting, and sharing the experiences of Japanese-Americans. It tells the story of the Japanese-American experience in America since the Issei (First Generation Immigrants) arrived. Over 30,000 exhibits include not only Japanese-American related history, but also traditional Japanese objects for everyday life and special occasions, including wedding costumes.

Beyond the regular exhibition, there are special limited exhibitions. Currently, it is running a photo exhibition, “Sights Unseen” by Masumi Hayashi, until September 14. Masumi Hayashi is a 3rd generation Japanese-American born at the end of WWII. Her unique collage pictures explore the hidden aspects of the American landscape.

Museum Hours

• Tuesday through Sunday 10a.m. to 5p.m.
• Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
• Free every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., and all day every third Thursday of the month.

Admission

• Adults $6.00
• Seniors $5.00
• Students (with ID) and Children (6-17) $3.00
• Children under 5 and Museum Members, Free.
• (No additional fee is required for the special exhibition)

Koban

Koban means “police box” in Japanese. In Japan, there are many police boxes around town to keep people safe, and help out when needed. So, when you or your wallet gets lost, you go to koban. Koban is like a tiny police station, and, lucky for us, there is one in Little Tokyo, too! At the Little Tokyo Koban, you can get area maps and a variety of information, including tourist information. Moreover, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, from 6-9 pm, an English-Japanese speaking class is held there. The class is for Japanese who want to improve their English skills, as well as for Americans who want to practice their Japanese. At this class, you can have a nice chat while improving your language skills. The class requires no fee, and no reservation. Just drop by whenever you want.

Statue of Chiune Sugihara

Chiune Sugihara was the Japanese Consul-General in Kaunas, Lithuania in 1939. When Nazi persecution took place in Europe, he saved Jews by issuing visas that would allow people to flee to other countries via Japan. However, issuing visas for Jews was against Japanese government policy due to its particular involvement in WWII. He lost his job, but saved more than 6000 people’s lives. This statue was erected just last year to honor and remember him.

(Books about his life are available from Sushi &Tofu. See page 15 for details.)

New Otani Japanese Garden

You might not believe that there is a perfect Japanese Garden on the roof of a hotel, but it is true. With a little waterfall and small river, the garden is built in authentic Japanese style. To enjoy the garden itself, it’s better to go at noon, but it is quite a sight to catch the night view of Downtown L.A. from the garden. And for the summer, the hotel has re-opened its beer garden, so you can enjoy a refreshing beer as the sun goes down. For more information about the Beer Garden, see page 21.

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC)

JACCC is a non-profit organization established in 1980. The center is designed to promote Japanese and Japanese-American art and culture. It is the largest ethnic cultural center in States, which includes a gallery, theatre, library, garden, gift shop, and more. Isamu Noguchi, a famed Japanese-American engraver, designed the JACCC Plaza, which is located in the middle of the center. The gift shop on the first floor sells unique traditional Japanese pottery, kites, lamps, toys, jewelry, books, etc. Everything in the store is so refined it feels like a museum. The center often hosts various kinds of exhibits, and the Japanese-style James Irvine Garden is worth a visit.

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

• 244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505
• Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012
• Phone: 213.628.2725
• Fax: 213.617.8576
• Box Office: 213.680.3700

Hours:

• Office: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday ~ Friday
• Box office: 12 noon~5 p.m., Daily, Sunday closed
• Center Shop: 12 noon~5 p.m., Tuesday ~ Friday, 11 a.m.~4 p.m. weekends

Onizuka Street

Ellison S. Onizuka was one of the astronauts killed in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger accident. He was the first Japanese-American astronaut, and a Sansei (3rd generation Japanese-American) born in Hawaii in 1946. Many Japanese-Americans and Japanese people in L.A. lamented his death, and so the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Foundation was created. Through the efforts of the organization, Weller Street changed its name to Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Street to commemorate him. On this street, you will find a small model of Challenger, as well as a relief carving of Onizuka.

Weller Court

Located on Onizuka Street, Weller Court is a small collection of restaurants, a supermarket, and various shops. Known for its variety of Japanese restaurants, such as Curry House, Daisuke and Orochon Ramen, you will see many people waiting in line at lunchtime.

Little Tokyo Square

Located at the corner of 3rd street and Alameda street, this indoor mall contains a variety of shops, such as the ceramics shop Utsuwa no Yakata and Mitsuwa Supermarket, the biggest such store in Little Tokyo. On the weekend, families flock to this mall to buy groceries for rest of the week. With validation, one hour of parking is free.

Japanese Village

Located at the center of the Little Tokyo. The big Yagura (Japanese scaffold tower) on the north end is the landmark of the village. Originally, Yagura served as a kind of lookout point to make sure nothing bad was going on, but the one in Little Tokyo is just for display. In the village, there is a little courtyard, a supermarket and many gift shops containing many interesting Japanese goods, from traditional arts and crafts to Hello Kitty. You might have difficulty deciding what to buy, because there are so many things to choose from. On Sunday, the Village hosts musicians that play music, making the atmosphere so peaceful.

Ninomiya Kinjiro Statue

Ninomiya Kinjiro is the name of a farmer born in 1787. Kinjiro is an old nickname, but his actual name is Sontoku. The statue of Kinjiro isn't unusual in Japan. There are thousands of Kinjiro Statues in Japan, especially in primary schools. Kinjiro was famous as a man of action. He succeeded in reviving the fortunes of the Hattori family, a distinguished family who found them in financial trouble. He also rehabilitated many towns with his magnificent leadership. When he was young, he read books while he at work gathering firewood. He did not want to waste a minute of study, so he made full use of the time that he had. He is considered the epitome of hard work. Most of his statues in Japan were erected after WWII to encourage people. We still have a lot to learn from his example.