Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo, a piece of Japan in the heart of Los Angeles

Little Tokyo is a small piece of Japan in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. People come for the culture, the shops and the memory of a Japanese American community present for more than a century. The Los Angeles audio-guided tour stops here to discover one of the most endearing and history-laden districts of the city.

A district born in the 1880s

Appeared in the 1880s, Little Tokyo, or Little Tokyo Historic District, is a major cultural and civic centre of the Japanese American community of Los Angeles. Its history is marked by pre-war prosperity, then by the internment of Americans of Japanese origin during the Second World War. Today, the district perpetuates the memory and culture of this community, between traditions and contemporary life.

What to see

Here you discover Japanese shops, restaurants, temples, the Japanese American National Museum and memorial sites such as the Go For Broke Monument. The Japanese Village Plaza and the Aoyama Tree are among its landmarks. It is an ideal district to taste Japanese culture and understand the history of the Japanese American community, in the heart of Downtown.

Practical information

Little Tokyo lies in Downtown Los Angeles, reachable on foot and by public transport. It is an urban district, freely accessible, explored on foot; its shops, restaurants and museums each have their own hours. Allow some time to stroll and enjoy the atmosphere, notably during the traditional Japanese festivals.

What is Little Tokyo in Los Angeles?

It is the historic Japanese district of Downtown Los Angeles, appeared in the 1880s, a cultural and civic centre of the city's Japanese American community.

What is there to do in Little Tokyo?

Discover its Japanese shops and restaurants, the Japanese American National Museum, the Japanese Village Plaza and the memorial sites of the Japanese American community.