Explore Cultural Attractions at Little Tokyo Los Angeles - A Glance at the Essence of Japan

Little Tokyo, the hub of Japanese culture in America is a small district in the downtown region of Los Angeles, California. In fact, America has only three Japanese districts and all three of them are parts of California.

The two of the other American Japanese districts are in San Francisco and the city of San Jose. The district was developed in recent times. The beginning of the 20th century marked the development of the district of Little Tokyo. The district serves as the center of cultural activities for the Japanese folks residing in the Southern region of California.

The Japanese American National Museum and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center are a part of the district of Little Tokyo. The Geffen Contemporary, which is an extended part of the Museum of Contemporary Art, is also located in Little Tokyo. The country's one of the foremost theatre companies, the East West Players is also in Little Tokyo. The specialty of the group is their live performances based on plays written by Asian American artists.

The Nisei Week festival, which is held every year in the month of August host a huge parade, athletic events, a pageant, exhibition of Japanese work of art and Japanese culture, a car show, and more. Here you can see a wide display of sculptures and artwork of renowned Japanese figures. The most remarkable one belongs to Elison S. Onizuka, a famous astronaut and a mission specialist who lost his life in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in the year 1986.

You can also enrich your passion for Japanese culture by visiting the small shops in Little Tokyo that sell videos, DVDs, video games, and other electronic equipments.