Little Tokyo Wander-ful

Japan’s food and culture is world-renowned. Luckily, Los Angeles is one of the world’s most diverse cities, and a 2-mile (round-trip) urban stroll in downtown is like a treasure hunt filled with Japanese gems. Start at the Higashi Honganji Temple (on the corner of 3rd Street and Central Avenue), the first Japanese Buddhist establishment in Los Angeles. Continue west on 3rd and take a right at San Pedro, where you’ll find the Isamu Noguchi Japanese American Culture and Community Center Plaza, home to a WWII memorial and a giant sculpture made of basalt rocks, by the famous designer and architect Isamu Noguchi. At the Community Center, you can sign in at the front desk and take the elevator down one floor, then follow the winding hallway to the James Irvine Japanese Garden entrance, also called Seiryu-en (“garden of the clear stream”), a hidden respite amongst skyscrapers, with a cascading stream and handcrafted cedar bridges. Afterwards, walk north past the rock sculptures and into Little Tokyo plaza, which often has spontaneous musical performances.

Turn left at the tower on 1st Street and as you head west … what is that tempting smell coming from across the street? It’s Daikokuya (327 E 1st Street), famous for its delicious ramen. (Right nearby is the popular Far Bar, and also in the area is a traditional Japanese sweet shop called Fugetsu-Do.) After nearly two blocks, take a left down an alley called Astronaut Ellison Shoji Onizuka Street, where you’ll find a Challenger replica and memorial to the man who was the first Asian American in space, and lost his life in the tragic 1986 explosion. Be sure to explore the strip mall here, home to the coolest jazz bar in the city (bluewhale) and more Japanese food options.

Then take a right on intersecting San Pedro followed by an immediate right on 2nd Street. A short walk west to the intersection with Los Angeles Street puts you in front of the DoubleTree Hotel, your final destination and home to the Kyoto Gardens. Take the elevator to the Garden level and find a half-acre rooftop haven with a waterfall and tranquil pond, modeled after a 16th-century gift to Tokyo’s samurai lord Kiyomasa Kato. When you reach a much-needed state of zen, leave SoCal’s land of the rising sun and head back the way you came.

To get to Higashi Honganji Temple from the westside, take the I-10 E and exit north on Central Ave., which intersects with 3rd. If coming from the east, south, or north, exit 4th St. off the I-5 S and take it west. This turns into 3rd and intersects with Central. You can also exit 4th off the 101, which is just west of the I-5. James Irvine Japanese Garden is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and has a variable schedule on weekends (call for schedule). The Kyoto Gardens are open seven days a week until 10:00 p.m. A call is recommended to ensure no special events are happening. No dogs in the gardens.