Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

Little Tokyo is a neighborhood in Los Angeles that holds a special place as the Japanese American district. It's a unique area that captures the essence of Japanese art and traditions, and it's one of the three official Japantowns in the United States. This neighborhood boasts a variety of attractions, including over 30 restaurants, peaceful Japanese gardens, markets, live performances, bookstores, a Buddhist temple, galleries, and a wide array of gift shops. Additionally, it's home to the largest Japanese supermarket in the U.S.

Originally, Little Tokyo covered a larger area to the east and south of its present location, spanning about one square mile. It used to be a hub for Japanese immigrants until the Exclusion Act of 1924 halted further migration. First Street was lined with shops, and Central Avenue to the south hosted vegetable markets, with Japanese Americans playing a significant role in the vegetable trade due to successful Japanese American truck farms in Southern California.

During World War II, Japanese American internment forced the evacuation of Little Tokyo, temporarily renamed Bronzeville, where African Americans and Native Americans established nightclubs and restaurants. After internment, most Bronzeville residents moved elsewhere. Later, a housing shortage in Little Tokyo led returning Japanese Americans to settle in nearby areas like Boyle Heights, which once had a significant Japanese American population in the 1950s before becoming predominantly Mexican and Latino.

In the late 1970s, a redevelopment effort began as Japanese corporations expanded their overseas operations, establishing their U.S. headquarters in the Los Angeles area. This resulted in the construction of new shopping plazas, hotels, and branches of major Japanese banks. Despite these changes, some of the original buildings and restaurants in Little Tokyo, particularly along First Street, still remain.