Little Tokyo’s deliciously rich food heritage will be celebrated with a one-day festival that puts the spotlight on the 140-year-old neighborhoods’ iconic restaurants.
The Delicious Little Tokyo celebration returns to the downtown Los Angeles neighborhood May 4 with guided tours of some of the neighborhood’s longest standing restaurants as well as self-guided tours that include food specials.
“We want people to come out and get to try things in the neighborhood, whether they’ve been here a hundred times and are trying things they love or something they never had. It’s just a nice day to explore, eat different things and support small businesses,” said Kisa Ito, the project director for the Little Tokyo Community Council, organizers of the event.
The Delicious Little Tokyo celebration returns May 4 with guided tours of some of the neighborhood’s longest standing restaurants as well as self guided tours that include food specials. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The main event of the day will be the $45-per-person Food History Tour of Little Tokyo, which will be guided by members of the Little Tokyo Historical Society.
People who take this tour will get a history lesson on some of the longest-standing small businesses and food spots, including places like Fugetsu-Do, a Japanese mochi and manju confectionery that opened in 1903 where people can sample their famous green tea manju . Other stops include Mitsuru Cafe, which serves Japanese comfort dishes like oyakodon, teriyaki and the hard to find imagawayaki, a dessert that’s resembles a thick waffle stuffed with bean paste.
“They’ll learn about some of the businesses that made what Little Tokyo is today and the foods that are relevant to the stories of Little Tokyo,” Ito said.
Food lovers can also trek out on their own with a pair of self-guided tasting tours that for $65 per tour will offer food deals at several restaurants. One of the participating restaurants is the somewhat hidden Far Bar where those on the tour can grub on their spicy wasabi fries. Another spot on the self-guided tour is Mitsuru Sushi and Grill, where people will be served yakisoba and chicken teriyaki bento.
For people who enjoy libations there will be workshops where attendees can learn about drinks at places like Wolf & Crane, 366 E. Second St. The bar will host an introduction to whiskey class for $40 per person while Peking Tavern, 236 S. Los Angeles St., will host a course on Baijiu, which is a centuries old Asian spirit. Tickets for the Baijiu tasting are also $40.
And there will be things for kids to do as well since there will be a Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) Celebration at Isamu Noguchi Plaza, 244 S. San Pedro St., and the Children’s Arts & Culture Festival at Terasaki Budokan, 249 S. Los Angeles St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both events are happening in conjunction with Delicious Little Tokyo and are free to attend.
Delicious Little Tokyo
When: May 4
Where: Locations throughout Little Tokyo
Tickets: To purchase tickets go to littletokyola.org.