Cultural Tour 2

Little Tokyo

Los Angeles, California

Japanese American Heritage Museum

Main Street Mall breeze way

Japanese Culture has a taken root in the city of Los Angeles, California in the National Historic Landmark District, known as Little Tokyo, being only one of three such official towns in the United States. My trip to Little Tokyo was highlighted by a walk through the main mall which included shops, a bakery, restaurants and a grocery store serving patrons seeking authentic Japanese food, clothes and culturally specific memorabilia. The district is relatively small and quiet as I would have expected for an early weekend morning with things livening up in the mid afternoon.

The Japanese American Heritage Museum rests on the corner between two plazas and was in the middle of hosting an exhibition about Hello Kitty, a cartoon character depicting a white cat wearing a sailor suit and a bow in her hair. This popular culture icon was made famous in the 1970’s before her journey to the United States and can be seen alongside many other quirky and eccentric figures in Japanese culture. One thing to note is that the museum is a cross between the old world and the modern and can be highlighted by the two buildings stark contrast in architectural features from the surrounding neighborhood.

Before leaving I indulged in some Japanese comfort cuisine in the form of steamed dough buns with flavored meat, a staple of the Japanese diet and a favorite among travelers to the area as was indicated by the line that wrapped outside the bakery. While chatting with several people in line I learned that it is normal in Japan to maintain a social relationship with coworkers both during work hours and is highly encouraged for after hours as well. The typical work day begins with work and may end with drinks and sporting events into the late hours of the night with managers and coworkers alike. Comradery is clearly an important factor in doing business with Japan and in Little Tokyo.