Los Angeles has a colorful array of neighborhoods. One of them is Little Tokyo – which Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles suggests you visit if you’re interested in Asian culture. Today, this area is mainly a work and entertainment district. At its peak, 30,000 Japanese lived in Little Tokyo. Now, only about 1,000 mostly elderly Japanese-Americans live there now.
Other names for Little Tokyo are:
Take your Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles vehicle to Little Tokyo. You’ll find the original Little Tokyo is bound by Broadway Street on the west, Alameda Street on the east, 3rd Street on the south and Temple Street on the north.
Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles say it’s worth the drive to catch the local attractions, such as the Japanese American Cultural & community Centre and the Japanese-American National Museum – the only museum of its kind. If you’re interested in Asian American theatre and music, you’ll enjoy the East West Players’ productions.
While you tour Little Tokyo, you’ll see quite a few public sculptures and artwork. Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles say one of the monuments you could see is one dedicated to Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka. This Japanese-American from Hawaii lost his life on the Space Shuttle Challenger when it exploded during takeoff in 1986.
If you enjoy gardens, visit the two Japanese gardens in the area open to the public. One is located next to the Japanese American Community and Cultural Centre. The other is situated on the roof of the New Otani Hotel.
If you’re in town during August, drive down in an Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles vehicle to Little Tokyo and take in the Nisei Week festival. Enjoy the Japanese art exhibits, athletic events, parade, taiko drum festival and beauty content.
If you find yourself getting hungry while you journey through Little Tokyo in an Deluxe Rent A Car Los Angeles vehicle, you’ll be pleased to know there are many Japanese restaurants that serve delicious ethnic food. Try a bowl of Japanese noodles or Japanese curry. If you want to grill your own food to your liking, then Korean barbecue restaurants are right up your alley.
Officially, the City of Los Angeles designated 67 acres to form Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project. The purpose of this project was to serve as an international centre for tourists and preserve the cultural element of the community.
In 1886, Charles Kame, an ex-seaman from Japan, opened a Japanese restaurant at 340 East First Street. By the early 1900s, more immigrants from Japan came and established a community around First and San Pedro Streets. In 1903, the Pacific Electric Railway’s Henry Huntington recruited the Japanese immigrants as laborers. Despite being denied American citizenship, local employment and housing discrimination, The Japanese immigrants succeeded in establishing an economic niche in southern California in agriculture, fishing, whole produce and retailing.
The children of the Japanese immigrants were successful in blending into the community. The first Nisei Week was established in 1934 as a way to maintain cultural and commercial links between Little Tokyo and the Japanese American community.
Unfortunately, during World War II, Americans grew leery and suspicious of the Japanese-American community and their loyalty to the United States. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 9066, which gave authority to force more than 110,000 Japanese-American citizens living on the west coast into concentration camps in isolated areas of America.
Fast-forward to the 1970s and 1980s when the appearance of Little Tokyo changed drastically to reflect the hardships and obstacles the Japanese-American community has endured.