Little Tokyo: Where to Eat, Shop, and Explore in DTLA’s Japanese American Heart

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Little Tokyo is one of only three remaining Japantowns in the United States, and it has been the center of Japanese American life in Los Angeles since the early 1900s. Today it is a compact, walkable neighborhood where century-old family businesses operate alongside contemporary ramen shops, anime stores, and sake bars.

Where It Is

Little Tokyo sits between 1st Street and 3rd Street, from Los Angeles Street east to Alameda (where it meets the Arts District). The Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro station is right at the edge. Japanese Village Plaza, a pedestrian mall on 2nd Street, is the neighborhood’s social center.

What to Eat

Start with ramen. Daikokuya has had a line out the door for years — the rich tonkotsu broth is worth the wait, and going at an off-peak hour (early lunch, late night) shortens it. Marugame Monzo makes udon noodles by hand in a glass-walled kitchen; the mentaiko cream udon is the move. For sushi, Sushi Gen is a neighborhood institution — the sashimi lunch special remains one of the best values in the city.

Fugetsu-Do has been making mochi by hand since 1903. Four generations later, the shop on 1st Street still sells the same soft, subtly sweet confections. Across the street, Mikawaya is another legacy sweets shop known for mochi ice cream.

What to See and Do

The Japanese American National Museum tells the story of Japanese immigration to the US, including the internment during World War II. The permanent collection is powerful and the rotating exhibitions are consistently excellent. Admission is free on the third Thursday of each month.

MOCA Geffen, the Museum of Contemporary Art’s warehouse space on 1st Street, anchors the cultural north end of the neighborhood. The cavernous galleries are ideal for large-scale installations.

Shopping

Japanese Village Plaza has shops selling everything from imported ceramics and knives to stationery and snacks. Kinokuniya, the Japanese bookstore chain, has manga, art books, and stationery across two floors. Marukai Market (in the Little Tokyo Galleria) is a full Japanese grocery store — good for pantry staples and prepared bento boxes.

Good to Know

  • The neighborhood is compact — you can see most of it on foot in a few hours.
  • Parking structures on 2nd Street and Judge John Aiso Street offer flat rates on weekends.
  • Nisei Week, the annual summer festival (usually August), fills the streets with taiko drumming, parades, and food stalls.
  • Many restaurants are cash-only or cash-preferred. Bring small bills.

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