Fun Things to do in Little Tokyo: 1-2 Day Travel Guide

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If you’ve ever talked to me about visiting Los Angeles (or Tokyo, Japan for that matter), then you know that my biggest advice for visiting sprawling cities is to plan your itinerary by neighborhood/area. You’d also probably know that one of my favorite areas in Los Angeles is the historic district of Little Tokyo. While the district itself is small, there’s quite a bit of cool things to do in Little Tokyo, and in my humble opinion is definitely worth a stop while you’re in Los Angeles.

In fact, I travel to Los Angeles at least once a quarter-ish and I am usually able to squeeze in a few things to do in Little Tokyo on my weekend trips. Little Tokyo is also sooo culturally important that I could spend this whole post talking about its significance to Los Angeles and the country’s larger conversation on diversity, but….

Don’t worry, I’ll stay on topic.

THIS time.

So let’s jump right into all the unique things to do in Little Tokyo for your next visit!

Where is Little Tokyo

Alright now WHERE is Little Tokyo?

It’s part of downtown Los Angeles, bordering the 101 and is about a block away from LA Union Station, making it super convenient if you want to visit by train. In fact, Little Tokyo was one of the FEW places I was allowed to go with my friends in high school without an adult because it was a short 5-10 minute walk from Union Station and you pass a big police station on the way.

Not that police were inherently safer for me and my marginalized friends, but in general it did contribute to a relatively calmer environment than say…Figueroa St in downtown LA.

Locals, you know what I mean.

If you are a little intimidated by big cities, no worries, you’ll be safe going about your day following these things to do in Little Tokyo.

Background

Little Tokyo is a cultural district for Japanese Americans in Los Angeles and is actually home to the largest Japanese-American population in North America. As a super super quick background on this neighborhood’s history (if you don’t care, please feel free to skip ahead haha), after the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, America was on the hunt for its next batch of immigrants to exploit for cheap labor.

As Little Tokyo grew, so did its population of Japanese-American residents (also self-referred to as Issei, 1st gen, and Nisei, 2nd gen). Lesser known fact, there were also many Japanese-Americans who lived in the neighborhood of Boyle Heights, which is now predominately Mexican and Latino, but prior to WWII, Latinos (and other racialized groups) were actually barred from living there.

And speaking of WWII….let’s address it. The Japanese Interment camps. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated his Executive Order 9066, aka rounding up over 120,000 people of Japanese descent throughout the country (the vast majority of whom were American citizens) and incarcerating them in ten main camps throughout the country in California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Arkansas, and Wyoming.

But no, that wasn’t enough. The US also pressured OTHER COUNTRIES to extradite their citizens of Japanese descent to the US internment camps as well. Canada sent 21,000 of its residents of Japanese descent, mostly from B.C. and its west coast, Mexico forcibly removed 2,264 residents, and another 2,264 from Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Argentina joined the US internment camps.

Mind you, many of those inhumanely incarcerated had no current relationship to Japan. Some in Latin America didn’t even speak fluent Japanese, if at all.

In Little Tokyo specifically, nearly every one of it’s 30k-35k residents were forcibly removed from 1942-1945. Little Tokyo and numerous Japanese towns were emptied overnight and an entire workforce was no locked up. One third of Hawai’i’s population were of Japanese descent, so you can imagine the hole this created on top of everything else.

The US couldn’t have a lapse in its floor workers!! Since Japanese immigrants were not allowed to own property, many of the now empty buildings were leased from white property owners who graciously relented to open up renting to Black people instead of not getting any rent money at all. Plus, this was also the time during the Great Migration when many Black people were moving West to flee Jim Crow and seek better opportunities.

Little Tokyo tripled in size to about 80,000 new Black residents, and Little Tokyo was briefly redubbed as Bronzeville as its residents expanded the parameters of the neighborhood for three years. They kept the buildings up and even continued running the restaurants, churches, and shops while their Japanese owners were away, while adding in more businesses and even jazz clubs and breakfast clubs.

Post war when the camps were closed, it is estimated that only about a third of those incarcerated in the interment camps returned to their original cities, and that was the same for Little Tokyo. Now that Japanese Americans were back, the white property owners of Little Tokyo saw no need to continue renting to Black folks and they were effectively re-kicked out of Little Tokyo again.

Japanese American residents began to pick up the pieces of their lives, community, and neighborhood into what we now see today – though without the jazz clubs. You’ll see plaques and mementos of early business as you’re out and about doing all the things to do in Little Tokyo.

Sooo that’s the gist of how Little Tokyo came to be! Hopefully I didn’t scare you off from reading the rest of this post haha, but I really believe knowing the background of a place, especially one tied to a specific culture, enriches your experience so much more.

With that in mind, let’s get into all the things to do in Little Tokyo!

Where to Stay

How long you stay in the neighborhood will definitely determine how many of these things to do in Little Tokyo will be able to fit on your itinerary. For the most part, I think a day trip is enough to see the main parts of the neighborhood. But if want to really take it in or if the rest of your Los Angeles sightseeing is nearby, you might want to stay in Little Tokyo!

Since I’m a Hilton loyalist, I’ve actually only stayed at the DoubleTree Los Angeles Downtown, which happens to be one of my favorite of the Hilton brands. It’s right on the corner of Little Tokyo so it’s really convenient and is a great location. Parking is available, though it’s not free (~$47 USD for self parking, ~$54 USD for valet, both have in/out privileges). My experience there was clean (unlike some other LA hotels…) and it got the job done.

Plus, there’s a mini Japanese Garden, but more on that when we get to the things to do in Little Tokyo section.

However since I no longer have a Hilton F&F discount and I have the credit card that gives my Diamond status…I don’t have much of a need to stay at Hilton. So the next time I want to stay to do more things to do in Little Tokyo, I’ll probably stay at Miyako Hotel Los Angeles. It’s about $30ish more than the DoubleTree (and both are average about $130/$165ish a night), but the Miyako is CENTERED in Little Tokyo, so it really feels like you can take in the best of the neighborhood. I’ve only heard good things. There’s only valet parking (with in/out) but at ~$50 USD, that’s not bad at all!

If you’re driving in, I recommend parking at the Japanese Village Plaza Parking. It’s covered and I’ve never had any safety concerns. That said, it’s a bit pricey (~$20 for the whole day) but it spits you out right in the center of the Village Plaza. It’s located at 111 S. Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Otherwise you can park at the Little Tokyo Galleria and get validation by shopping at some of the small businesses (you might have to ask the cashier). Or if you get lucky, you might get street parking for cheap. Little Tokyo is relatively safe but still be careful not to leave anything in your car!

What to Eat

Yesss my favorite part of any blog post. What if I told you one of the best things to do in Little Tokyo is to eat? I mean, eating is why I love Japan, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised ahaha. Whether you’re just in town for a few hours or go into overnight territory, you’ll need fuel for all the things in Little Tokyo on your itinerary.

Here’s where I recommend eating!

Breakfast

I loveee breakfast food, but honestly, Japan isn’t the biggest on what we consider “breakfast.” Aside from a traditional Japanese breakfast set, which is usually only served as a special add-ons at hotels or ryokans, you won’t find many “Japanese breakfast spots.” So in Little Tokyo, my favorite spots are more fusion that take American breakfast ideas and put a tasty Japanese spin on them.

Unfortunately, one of my favorite places, JiST Cafe, has permanently closed. Thank you Chef Glen for the years of delicious meals. I don’t want to speak on the reason for there closing since I don’t know, but I want to take a moment to acknowledge that many cornerstone businesses, both contemporary like JiST Cafe and historic ones, have been forced to shut down due to their money hungry landlords. One historic business is facing eviction because they want to replace them with a dispensary so they can charge more in rent.

Yeah, the descendants of those same landlords from the 60s-80s are still upholding their “traditions.”

Anyways, my other favorite breakfast spot in Little Tokyo is Azay, which…okay, is also currently closed, but they’ll be reopening soon!!! Thank goodness! In the past, they offered their take on a Japanese breakfast assortment, as well as various bentos and entrees. Not sure what their new menu will be, but I know it’ll be good.

Lunch

Lunch is really when things start to pick up for things to do in Little Tokyo. Aside from the few times I’m stayed overnight in the area, lunch time is usually when I start my day in Little Tokyo.

Daikokuya is usually my go-to restaurant when I’m hungry and I want something that I know will be good. They actually have a few sister restaurants in the neighborhood that are also good, though I haven’t tried Hachioji Craft Ramen yet! That’ll be for my next visit! Anyways, you can’t beat how central Daikokuya is, right at the entrance to the main shopping area.

Their specialty is ramen, and while my favorites are their house ramen (tonkotsu) and their tsukemen they also have spicy miso and two vegan ramen options. What keeps me coming back though is that they also have rice bowls, poke, and other appetizers. You can even do combos and get a mix of different plates.

If I’m not too hungry, or if I just need a snack between all the fun things to do in Little Tokyo, I head to Rice & Nori. They have, in my humble opinion, the best onigiri in Little Tokyo. Along with 17 fillings for their rice balls (I’m an ume and spicy tuna mayo girl myself), they also have a range of pickles, sashimi, hand rolls, and a few sides like miso soup, edamame, seaweed salad, and a bunch of add-ons.

If I’m honest, I’ve visited the neighborhood for the onigiri alone and didn’t do any of the other essential things to do in Little Tokyo. Onigiri is essential.

Dinner

And depending on how many things in Little Tokyo you want to check off, you may find yourself out pretty late. For dinner, my top two recommendations are Chinchikurin and Marugame Monzo.

Chinchikurin is an okonomiyaki (Hiroshima style) spot and if you’ve never had it before, it’s a Japanese food staple! The closest thing I can relate it to for Western food is like…a pancake, but the batter is a bunch of vegetables, protein, and carbs. If that makes sense. Don’t worry, if it’s your first time, they explain everything (including how to eat it) at the restaurant. It’s also Hiroshima style, so the ingredients are layered on top of each other instead of all mixed together and cooked as one with the more prevalent Osaka style.

If it’s available, I recommend eating at the counter here! It’ll be one of the best things to do in Little Tokyo.

Alternatively, there’s also Marugame Monzo, which specializes in udon. Full transparency, I’m not the biggest fan of udon but I really liked it! And it’s my sister’s favorite place in ALL of LA for udon and I trust her judgement. If you haven’t tasted udon before, DEFINITELY start your journey here.

If you’re in the mood for more ramen, or if you didn’t get any for lunch, I recommend Kouraku, which is actually the FIRST ramen restaurant in the USA. Right here in Little Tokyo! Such a cool historic spot and the food is bangin too. I don’t go there too often just because it’s usually really busy at lunch (a good sign!), but if you stick around the neighborhood long enough, it’s a great dinner spot.

And for folks looking for a fully vegan restaurant, head to Shojin. I actually haven’t been here myself (YET!!!), but my vegan friend in LA swears by this place. They even have a omakase (tasting menu) so you can go upscale or keep it casual. Take a look at the menu if your interest is peaked.

Bars

Okay now I’m not the biggest drinker, but if you’re looking for a bar, especially if you are a solo woman, then I recommend The Mermaid. They are woman owned and open every day, so it makes for a great addition to any day of your things to do in Little Tokyo itinerary. The drinks are delicious, mezcal drinkers will be pleased, as well as wines, beers, and a few zero-proof options as well.

My favorite part is that they also have dedicated cocktails that benefits a variety of charities and fundraisers that benefit the local area. We need more community-focused spots like this.

Things to do in Little Tokyo

Okay finally the meat and potatoes of this post! All the best things to do in Little Tokyo! Funnily enough, this portion will actually take the least time since it’s mostly straight forward. I don’t want to spoil all the fun of the surprise for ya!

Japanese American National Museum

You gotta get the context. Go to the Japanese American National Museum. I learned SO much while I was here, including everything I included up above in the background section, and even more. It was an easy museum to follow and even the darkest portions of the history was tastefully done in a way that wasn’t too heavy but also didn’t pull punches so it’s appropriate for all ages.

Along with the museum, there’s also a fantastic gift shop and a really cute teahouse Chado Tea Room. It’s a great spot to chat about the museum experience over a nice cuppa.

However, I won’t dwell tooo long because JANM is actually closed for renovations until late 2026. I knowww I know, I’m sorry for getting you excited just to drop the sad truth like that, but keep it on your radar in case you are visiting after. Even if you’re visiting before then, they also do numerous pop-up events throughout Los Angeles that would be super fun to check out.

Shopping

Honestlyyyy one of the best things to do in Little Tokyo is shopping haha. Which is also one of my favorite things to do in Tokyo, Japan as well, so in that instance it’s very parallel. The majority of shops in the neighborhood are small businesses and locally owned, with a few loved Asian franchises sprinkled throughout.

There are so many that I recommend starting at Japanese Village Plaza and just wander around. It will also be your starting point to the restaurants and other things to do in Little Tokyo as well. There’s a Sanrio store, lots of blind box shops, Then depending on how far you wander, make your way over to Weller Court Shopping Center for more boutique shops and tasty treats including Rice & Nori and Midori Matcha Cafe.

However if you’re someone who likes specific suggestions, I’ll drop a few of my favorites below:

• Popkiller – vintage clothing store
• Utsuwa no Yakata – pottery store
• Japangeles – streetwear clothing store
• Nijiya Market – Japanese grocery store for snacks
• Bunkado – Japanese home good store with my FAVORITE small business upstairs Nsotalgiana! I always pick something up here!
• Yoboseyo Superette – curated gift shop (and coffee shop)
• Fugetsu-Do Bakery Shop – historic dessert shop that has been open since 1903!

And like a ton more. Shopping really is one of the best things to do in Little Tokyo, so don’t be surprised if it takes up most of your time! Leave room in your suitcase!

Max Karaoke Studio

You didn’t think I’d leave karaoke off this list did you? OF COURSE it’s one of the most fun things to do in Little Tokyo! I personally go to Max Karaoke Studio since that’s where I’ve always gone. I actually…don’t even think I’ve gone to another one now that I think about it haha.

In true Japanese karaoke fashion, there are private rooms and they also have an alcohol (and alcohol free) drink menu. They unfortunately don’t have food, so be sure to eat before you go. One plus is that this studio has a very broad song selection and includes songs in English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, French, German, Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Russian, Thai…the list goes on. I mean, we are in LA, of course it’s multi-lingual friendly. If you don’t see a song you want in their catalog, you can even request they add it.

The room is charged by hour and the rate is dependant on weekday vs weekend and how many people. For example, on a Saturday night for 4 people, the rate is $54 USD an hour. It’s a blast and I highly recommend.

James Irvine Japanese Garden

It’s small, but it is a quaint little oasis in the hectic city. Designed by renowned landscape architect Dr. Takeo Uesugi, the garden is part of the larger outdoor portion of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC). The standout of the garden is a 170-foot stream that symbolizes the journey of successive generations of Japanese in America.

There’s also an adjacent sculpture garden and check the JACCC event page in case there are special events going on at the center.

If you stay at the DoubleTree, they have their own mini garden for a more private Japanese Garden experience and you don’t even have to leave your hotel. You can even book the DoubleTree garden for special events.

Conclusion

Okay, I wasn’t expecting this post about things to do in Little Tokyo to get so long. Especially since I mostly just shop there hahah. But truly, it’s one of my favorite corners of Los Angeles and I highly recommend everyone spend some time there, even just for a half day. It’ll show you a different side to the city.

Have you ever visited? What are your favorite things to do in Little Tokyo? If you’ve never visited, which of these things to do in Little Tokyo look fun to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Who knows, it may even get you inspired to plan your own trip to Japan! If you’ve never visited Japan, one of my favorite countries in the world, be sure to check out my tried and true Japan travel tips before you go!

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