Visiting Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
Los Angeles is vast and unruly. In my opinion, no other area encompasses this sentiment more than Downtown. I’ve written about how I have a love-hate relationship with it. But alas, I always come back for more.
This time, I explored Little Tokyo with my friend Britany. I visited many years ago and found that it hadn’t changed too much. That being said, let’s get into how I spent my day in this historic district.
I learned about history at the Japanese American National Museum
First and foremost, I want to warn you all that this is not a museum that is for the faint of heart. It explores the xenophobia and bigotry Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans endured before and after World War II.
I found myself getting very emotional at various points throughout my time there. The museum is relatively small but still has several artifacts and photographs. I definitely think it’s worth a visit.
The Japanese American National Museum is located at 100 N Central Ave. Tickets and hours can be found on their website.
Britany and I walked around the Japanese Village Plaza
The Japanese Village Plaza has several restaurants and shops that are mainly Japanese-inspired. Some highlights include the Sanrio store, Nijiya Market, and much more.
Everything smelled and looked so good! However, I will say that it was way too crowded for my liking. I felt uncomfortable and was continually bumping into people. On top of all this, it was 90 degrees. I would say visit on a weekday when it’s less busy and make sure that there isn’t a heatwave!
The Japanese Village Plaza is located at 335 E 2nd St
We had lunch at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar
Kura is my all-time favorite place to get sushi in Los Angeles. I can vouch and say that everything is delicious and high-quality! There is actually one near me in Torrance that Britany and I go to often. We loved it so much that we decided to try out the Little Tokyo location.
Each plate is $3.25. Not in the mood for sushi? They also have ramen, udon, and tempura. All in all, this is a must-have in LA!
Tip: Kura's wait times are ridiculously long. You have to log into an iPad and wait to be seated when you arrive. This can take up to an hour or more. Download the Kura app to log in and reserve your spot in line. We did this and it still took us 90 minutes (yes, it’s that good!).
Kura can be found inside the Japanese Village Plaza at 333 E 2nd St.
We strolled through Marukai Market
Growing up, there was a Marukai Market near me. For some reason, all the locations closed and there are now only two in Los Angeles, one being in Little Tokyo. We decided to peruse through the aisles for old times’ sake.
Britany and I have been friends since high school and we use to go here together when we had nothing else to do. If you’re in the area and looking for some Japanese snacks or groceries, this is the spot to find them at!
Marukai Market can be found at 123 Astronaut Ellison S Onizuka St #105.
Final tips:
All of the locations I mentioned today are in one area, so there is minimal walking
If you’re interested in visiting any of the locations (including the museum), I suggest you park at the Japanese Village Plaza (the address will be listed below)
Parking is $10 for the entire day
