Japanese Village Plaza

Walking through the area feels like a mini escape to Japan, right in the heart of LA. The variety of shops and restaurants is impressive, catering to a range of tastes and interests. I particularly enjoyed browsing the unique selection of goods at the specialty stores, which offer everything from traditional crafts to modern Japanese pop culture items. The dining options are excellent, with a good mix of authentic Japanese cuisine and fusion dishes. While the village can get quite crowded, especially on weekends, the overall experience is worth it. It's a great spot for a casual outing with friends or family, and there's always something new to discover with each visit. Overall, the Japanese Village is a lovely place to explore and enjoy a taste of Japanese culture in Los Angeles. I look forward to returning and trying more of what it has to offer.

Fun place to visit with some Japan vibes. They got some interesting shops and restaurants. They got some Japanese merchandises that I would purchase as an anime fan. They have a Japanese-American museum if you feel like getting a little history lesson as well. I would bring my kids here to enjoy the vibes.

Lots of little Japan stores and restaurants to go to but it's busy here during the weekend. The weekdays is better to visit as there won't be lines to wait to get into the restaurant or the shops and bakeries. I liked it here during the weekends to get the treats I wanted without the long wait. Lots to see for trinkets and anime stuff. The prices here are a little higher than most places you would get from other outside stores but good to visit.

There are so many awesome shops here. There are lots of fun trinkets to get, there is good food and lots of other goodies too. Very enjoyable time and thankful they put everything so close together.

You will love it here if you are a fan of Japanese culture. Anime, Blindbox, Gashapon, Ramen, Sanrio, Shabu-Shabu, Sushi, Takoyaki, Taiyaki, etc! Come early so you can see every store and cap the evening with dinner. Parking is connected to the plaza and the max was $18. The only downside is no public toilets. For a country who is known for the best toilets, tourists are missing out on that experience. Bathrooms are at the restaurants but only available to the patrons. I suggest Toto set up a shop there to serve both an experience and sales opportunity. I don’t know about you but most ppl who come back from a Japan visit will mention the toilets. Worth it and would come again.

Small, but it has many selections of restaurants and bakeries. No public restrooms. All the stores had "no public restrooms" signs. I used street parking. Very packed on weekends.

I Love it here. Miss Bella and I like to walk around Little Tokyo after church on Saturday evening and get some treats for desert.

It’s cute but it kinda smelled polluted. I think the only reasonably priced shop here was the grocery shop with their 1.99 dollar Onigiri. I went to Manaki Neko and they had some sort of perfume that was branded as authentic but it came from china. Honestly I just think the shops get stuff imported from china and sell it for double the price. I love the Japanese architecture but I couldn’t with the prices and parking

I have not been to Japan-town in over a decade until earlier this month. I was so pleased to see the area hopping with local visitors and international tourists. All things Japanese is once again cool. I also love the fact that the Japanese baseball players on the LA Dodgers is sending international baseball fans to the area. The local restaurants, hotels, and stores are happily packed with visitors. I will visit again soon.

Will never come back here. We took my grandma here for the first time back in January, after having come here hundreds of times previously, and a shooting happened in broad daylight. There was a huge stampede of people running, and some idiot pushed my grandma to the floor. She fractured her hip, hand and arm. She lay there on the floor and we had to carry her, as she was in agonizing pain, into a little Japanese store where NO ONE helped us. Picture this: the entire Japanese village empty, and we're in center of it trying to carry my 88 year old grandma to safety, knowing there is a gunman on the loose. Do you know how terrifying that feels?? Risking your life to save someone who can't walk/stand, with zero security around at all? No good samaritans? Just onlookers watching us from other stores that were hiding in?? Security ran like hell. All of them. We were all alone. When we carried my grandma into a Japanese store, no one, not even any of the cashiers came immediately to our aid. They were all sitting ducks. I had to be the one to even physically close their doors! &This is a well known Japanese store too, that sells a bunch of imported food and 'cutsie' things. The cashiers and manager hid and didn't come out until the paramedics came. Everyone was completely useless. What made matters worse was that as my grandma lay sprawled out on the floor right in front of the sliding doors, people walked by taking photos of us. It was mortifying. Then those pics ended up in news articles. I used to love Little Tokyo but this experience shook me to my core. 4 months later and my grandma is barely 75% healed. It's too freaking dangerous to go anymore. This isn't an isolated incident, there have been several ones prior to the shooting we were in. Don't risk your safety. I never thought in a million years this would happen to us. There's no security there to save your or even help you, if a shooting breaks out you are seriously on your own.

Visiting Japan town was a fun treat while spending time in LA. Packed with Japanese shops, restaurants, and shopping. You will certainly find something here for anybody. It was packed with people from tourists to locals. It was very clean too. There is plenty to do here for an afternoon. If you are into Japanese culture this is a great place to visit.

Lots of little Japan stores and restaurants to go to but it's busy here during the weekend. The weekdays is better to visit as there won't be lines to wait to get into the restaurant or the shops and bakeries. I liked it here during the weekends to get the treats I wanted without the long wait. Lots to see for trinkets and anime stuff. The prices here are a little higher than most places but good to visit. [46R,2024]

My teen and I spent probably 2 hours here and only saw a third of what was available! What an awesome experience and I can't WAIT to visit again. The ambiance was amazing. It had an organized hustle and bustle that was a nice change from other areas of LA. We really, honestly, didn't know what to expect. Having visited the much smaller Japantown in San Jose, wed heard Wonderful things about this center but honestly, I was blown away at the quantity and quality of most of the shops. There is plenty to see, do, and eat here. It's really hard to put into words all there is here. I will definitely carve out at least 4 if not 6 hours to visit here again so I can check out every shop and any of the food places I can.

Parking can get difficult here but there's one garage I typically go into that's close by and if you're staying there for half a day, I would say it's worth going.

This afternoon, my family and I will be exploring Little Tokyo. Despite the large number of visitors today, we were fortunate to get parking near the Japanese Village Plaza. There is a really long queue and wait for those who even want to purchase food because there are so many people here. When you visit, don't forget to snap a picture of the Shohei Ohtani painting on the side of the Miyako Hotel!

This place has lots of Japanese food places, sit down and take away or to go. Lots of little shops as well. Good to visit!

We enjoy so many stores here. Metro is easy and right across the street. There are markets and restaurants and curio stores. Lots to enjoy. It is always very packed and busy and parking is hit and miss. Take the metro instead.

Outdoor mall across the street from the Metro station, with a lot of restaurants and specializing in stores selling Japanese culture (video games, manga, anime, Sanrio). We came on a Sunday late morning/early afternoon, and it was fairly busy (as the rest of Little Tokyo was not). I think Plaza is the right word: it is meant to be walked fairly quick if just seeing what is there (only one story), but each store holds a lot of different items that can be perused at leisure. I did notice that many of the stores had queues, to keep the inside from getting too crowded. Others did not...I think it depends on the store. There was a very cute vendor selling handmade, crocheted items (Amigurumi), which started us up in a good mood.

The Japanese Village is one of those places that you need to visit at least once. Weekends are always packed and you get to see some very interesting people and attire. It can be overwhelming at times but entertaining nonetheless. There are two bakeries and the pastries and breads are always fresh. Lots of little restaurants to choose from so take your time and walk around and check the menus first. Whichever you pick, it will be delicious. The grocery store is filled with unique produce so make sure to check it out.

There are no bathrooms here and no meter parking, only parking for $7+ dollars that calculates hours. The parking is far away. It is not convenient to go to this location by car.

I found the place to be really small and parking is difficult. i would not go out of my way to visit here when LA has so much more to offer. there are some little shops including the overly expensive sanrio store.

Party of 6, got seated right away, and ordered spicy beef bento box, beef udon, large platter, and Love Boat. Food was delicious and atmosphere fun. Would return

What a gem in the middle of Los Angeles! In L.A. visiting for a few days and this quaint little 'village' was the perfect way to spend the afternoon and shop. Nightlights for me were: - Sanrio - I'm a fan but had to wait in the line (20-30 min on a Saturday) to enter; if you're looking for Sanrio licensed products this is a must stop. The hits are the TokidokiXSanrio items. - Nijiya Market - crowded Japanese market has the cutest snacks and I'm still on the quest for Bourbon Alfort Mini Chocolate Premium: Rich Strawberry. They carried some of the other flavors but I'm still holding out for the first (and best) flavor I tried: Chocolate Premium: Rich Strawberry. Tip: There's a parking garage for the Japanese Village and Nijiya Market will validate.

Nice shops And restaurants. But I will never go back. Because they do not have a public restroom. I tried to use the restroom At the Sushi and Teri restaurant But they stopped me halfway into the restaurant and told me that I could not use the bathroom. I said it would be having lunch there soon. They said that didn't matter. So if that's the way they want to treat me, I'm never going back.

I've only been to one other Japan town and that's the one in San Fran. There are pluses and minuses for both, I would say this offers a different experience because it's an outdoor village. However, one positive for the San Fran Japantown is that it offers underground parking for the mall. But as for this Village in downtown LA, Friends and family can easily meet you here from Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Orange Co. - it seems to be centrally located. It can get a little crowded in certain areas and there may be a wait but you can always have a Plan B for food, shopping and desserts. So you don't necessarily have to wait if you don't want to. One awesome thing is that there's a Japanese Heritage museum across the street so you don't want to miss that. Overall, this village is a great place to spend half a day without having to go to Japan.

Most impressive cultural attractions in a city I've been to by far. I love how the walkway is decorated with lanterns and other Japanese festive decorations in the plaza. It really does feel like a piece of Japan in the heart of Los Angeles. There are a lot of shops, restaurants, and dessert places to choose from around here. Great experience and a must-go when visiting the city

What a popular plaza in Little Tokyo! Because of the pandemic, each shop is limited how many people inside the store. Therefore, you would see long line waiting outside the store. So, the whole courtyard is super crowded. The merchandise is overpriced, maybe because it has become tourist attraction spot? Some restaurants do check vaccination card if you want to dine indoor. But I even saw Japanese restaurant with Mexican name kind of? The servers & even the cook are Mexican. Food is no longer authentic & traditional. Even though it is called "Japanese Village Plaza" but I see French bakery, Korean bakery & Korean ice-cream shop?

Cool place to check out. After having breakfast at Grand Central Market walked over here for something sweet. Saw a couple of long lines here and there and decided on Yamazaki for an ice cream cone and a mango smoothie - all for just for $7.50 with taxes included! So much cheaper than my milkshake at Grand Central Market that cost $9.50 the day before.

Japanese Village Plaza is in the Little Tokyo area of Downtown Los Angeles, between 1st and 2nd Streets. The paid parking garage is on Central Avenue close to 1st Street. Customers can get parking validation from businesses. I don't know if all businesses provide validation, but getting parking validation will save you some $$. While we were walking around, it struck me that Japanese Village Plaza is probably best for hungry singles or couples on date nights, and is also a great place to people watch. There are a lot of places to eat ... something, whether it be sushi, ramen, desserts, snacks, shabu shabu or other mostly Japanese cuisine. It can get crowded in the evenings and weekends, so plan accordingly. There is a relaxed vibe at Japanese Village Plaza. It's an older plaza, so some of the walkways are narrower. In addition to all the great places to eat, you'll find places to shop, providing you more stores where you can learn more about Japanese culture. My favorite restaurant in JVP is Oomasa Restaurant. Even though we lived in Orange County, we made it a point to drive all the way to Little Tokyo to eat at Oomasa specifically for the great service and fantastic food.

Always so clean, the ambient lighting, sounds, and all in all location is just magical! A must visit! Especially the restaurants! Yummmm!!!

This place is not what I imagined it to be. Super overpriced, unlicensed shops and underwhelming. I would spend time elsewhere.

Lots of great shops and food options. There is parking for the plaza specifically. We did not know this and parked on the street.

Venturing into this place with a large group brought immense joy. Being a first-timer, my children - who were familiar with the area - took pleasure in guiding me through the various stores and activities. What added to the excitement was recognizing this location from movies I had seen; strolling around a place that has gained fame felt quite special. I truly admired the authentic culture embedded in each store, all within a compact area. It's undeniably a must-visit spot for tourists in Los Angeles and a wonderful weekend hangout for families seeking a taste of rich culture.

I work near this plaza and everytime I visit, it is always fun! I love their Japanese cafe, bakery and stores where u can find unique and yummy goodies! The pastries and boba are the best parts it is a nice place to relax and enjoy your lunch with buddies...Arigatō

We love this iconic collection of eclectic shops and restaurants so much we try to stay in town when visiting Los Angeles. Nestled in the heart of Little Tokyo, Japanese Village Plaza features a Nijiya Market (mochi, bottled drinks, instant ramen, Japanese grocery store items), Sanrio (Hello Kitty for old school fans like me, Aggretsuko for newbies like my teen), hip clothing stores, anime shops, stuffies, Japanese curio and more. You can get standard Japanese fare and delicious treats, such as baked goods and Honeymee ice cream. If none of the restaurants appeal to you, I highly recommend hopping across the street to Shin-Sen Gumi before returning to shop to your heart's content.

One of the most central iconic locations of little Tokyo. I love that the area is starting to get lively again with lots of people. Great Japanese stores, restaurants and snack shops at this plaza. It is also close to the Japanese American National Museum and MOCA as well. Cool place to hangout and experience Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Gets pretty crowded there though!

We really missed Little Tokyo and had to drive up for the day/night. We were so glad to see some of the restaurants open with seating outside and distanced; but, the wait was a little long. We always go on the weekends when street parking is free otherwise, parking gets costly during the week. Once you do park and walk through the alleys, you'll see all the beautiful painted murals.

While waiting for a table to dine at Sushi Gen, I walked around Little Tokyo. The streets were so dirty, full of trash, and smelled bad. So disappointing!

SO many shops with good direct imports from Japan. So many restaurants, some are more traditional then we have in our San Francisco Japan town. I found really good katsu, just like in Osaka. The parking isn't that ad, I found parking within a few blocks on a busy Sunday afternoon. I think there is also a garage someplace. With so many shops it would be easy to do some grocery shopping, pick up a gift, get lunch and kill 3 or 4 hours easily. I During the pandemic some of the shops had lines outside, only a ten minute wait. I found some good kitchen items I didn't know i needed, now happily in use. The bakery is awesome.

Great vibe here. This place is a great place to discover Downtown LA and Japanese culture. Many unique Japanese shops and restaurants. Good place to hang out with friends and enjoy a meal. For the people want to get Japanese Cartoon character figures aka Anime, this is the place to be without going to Tokyo's anime Akihabara district. When I was there, I saw many shops similar to those in Akihabara selling all kinds of anime but with long lines. I didn't know there are so many anime and Yodobashi fans here in LA. Besides anime, this village is an awesome place to sample some of the finest Japanese cuisine. So many choices of Japanese food here. My favorite is the Suehiro Cafe serving old style Japanese food and dishing out friendly services. The udon here is outstanding. Shopping is another attraction here. The Plaza has all kinds of shops where you can find hard to find Japanese products. I have been looking for cups for steaming custard egg with a lid for a long time. I was able to find them in one of the shops who had several styles that fit my needs. Parking is plenty. But please park in the parking lot on 1st and 2nd as the shops will validate.

Not much to see. We walked around the place about 15' we were done , SF is much nicer bigger and more fun to explore compared this one . We paid for 10$ parking n only spent time there for 30' Would not come back

So fun and pretty! There is a parking structure or street parking. Great shops and restaurants. It's decorated so pretty with a tree for Christmas. We went to Sushi & Teri and it was SO GOOD! My sister had a huge sushi roll and I got a salmon bento box. I'm still in the "nom nom!" I'm definitely going back! Honeymee was also so yummy with real honeycomb on milk ice cream. Yum! There are also cute cafes, bakeries, record shop, anime, groceries, and shops to get a cute gift or souvenir. There's a Japanese mail close by. There is a good priced plushy store. I wanted the Boba Plushy! Good for kids and seniors. It's across the street from the Metro so could hop on and go to Santa Monica.

Love love JVP! All these little wonderful stores and restaurants here are just delightful. I love coming here whether to just browse or have a bite of the freshest sashimis here since the fish market is just around the corner. If you haven't been here, come quickly because you sure are missing out. Me, I love the Hello Kitty store!! As for sashimi, I either go to Oomasa or Komasa for the best and freshest fish for the buck!! Again, just love it here!

NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS. This is a great place to go visit otherwise, lots of great Japanese culture, food, and other shops. A definite must see if possible. Just make sure you find a restroom before you go.

Prior to touring the Japanese American National Museum led by a former concentration camp survivor, I walked around the Japanese Village Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. This small oasis is a pleasant plaza with a number of different kinds of shops and restaurants with a walking and sitting center filled with colored Japanese lanterns and some art. Wandering around the plaza you get a tranquil and peaceful feeling of being transported out of LA and immersed in a different culture. LA had lots of issues that major urban cities have to deal with and there is much that needs improving. What makes LA special is you can tour the world without leaving LA County exploring the many unique ethnic communities that make up the City of Angels.

Cute little outdoor shopping center in little Tokyo. There are multiple shops and a grocery store to browse for gifts, books, stationary, cute anime stuff, and beauty products. There are also restaurants in the plaza as well. I wish I had more room to eat in the plaza! There also a cool wishing tree where you can purchase a cute paper for $1 and you can write a wish and it's tied onto the tree along with others. It's a small plaza so you won't be spending a ton of time in here but nice to walk through.

My second time visiting Japanese village plaza. Neat place to walk around, explore boutiques and food/drinks. Plenty of restaurants there. You can park in their garage and get an hour parking validation from the shops. The shops are following a 10-20 people max and 20 minutes shopping policy due to covid. Restrooms are hard to find unless you're eating at a restaurant.

Located in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. It was a nice little strip of shops and restaurants. There's a grocery store in the plaza as well. It was super nice!

I LOVE Japanese food (as my close ones know!), and I always wondered why there aren't as many (if at all?) "Japan Towns" in big cities...as opposed to Chinatowns, for instance. In fact, this was my very first venture into a Japantown in the U.S. "Little Tokyo" in LA is indeed little...as it's barely a block or two worth of retail and restaurants; and this Village Plaza is basically the central landmark, in somewhat of a semi-, open- cul de sac. Although small, the Plaza is action-packed...with several fun, gimmicky Japanese gift shops, many restaurants, and cafes, featuring desserts (including Mochi Ice Cream Balls...one of my faves!). There are also many sitting areas throughout this compact plaza...and even street-style entertainment. Plus, some lively Japanese decor throughout...like the red and white decorative paper lanterns floating above the walkways. I had lunch at Oomasa, which was OK...then an amazing dinner at Chinchikurin, possibly their most popular, signature restaurant, where I was able to experience my very first Okonomiyaki. I also tried the Mochi Ice Cream Balls at Mikawaya within the Village, as well as a fancy ice cream at Bae and the best-ever bubble tea at Boteaga...both within a block of the Village, within "Little Tokyo". Overall, it's a fun, little Plaza, in a fun, little town of "Little Tokyo" in LA...and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here! I'd love to revisit this place in the future, and check out even a few more restaurants. Both thumbs up for everything they have to offer here!

I remember my first time at Little Toyko.This was when I was in Elementary with my Japanese American teacher. Telling us the history, the food and culture and customs that the Japanese brought from Japan. Through the years Little Tokyo has changed.Whatt use to be many years ago but now it's totally different lots of stores and restaurants and a Japanese American museum and plus the Metro Gold line pass right through thru Little Tokyo. That's why my wife and I always to come Little Toyko for food. Entertainment, and look at the history at this Historic site.

This is one of our favorite spots when we are visiting Los Angeles is a place the kids and everyone enjoys very much fun specially over the weekend when they have live music and performers but some of it has changed due to Covid. Shops are great but do expect to stand in a long line when trying to shop at the Hello Kitty store other than that many other stores aren't as bad and if you are into anime and cosplay then this is a great place to shop for that. Food is amazing and so much variety plus lots of history.

Love this little village plaza. Transports me to time. Came here on a weekend and it was pretty busy, as expected. So many yummy stores and places to eat here. The market they have is pretty bomb too. Parking in the structure costs $15 all day. I just happened to catch a meter. Cost me like $9 for 4 hours. Cute little stores selling cute Japanese things, bakeries with yummy buns, little knick-knack stores. A cute 'ol Japanese man playing some music in the courtyard and making funny noises. Pretty decent entertainment. Not gonna lie it was hard coming here and not wanting to spend all your money or buying little fluffy treats!

Absolutely gorgeous pathways, adorned with Japanese summer lanterns and surrounded by stores, restaurants, dessert places, and a supermarket. This is definitely the more touristy side of LA's Little Tokyo. I could spend the whole day right here and wouldn't get bored at all. I love how they provide seats and tables for people to just hang out and bake in the sun. Yes, it's hot as fudge today here in LA. Thank goodness I brought my hat and for the trees they have there.

Cute Japanese and anime stores as well as a Japanese food market Nijiya. We went to sushi and Teri. Oil didn't taste fresh. Sushi good. Overall ok. Would try a different restaurant next visit. Service good though. Bathroom not clean.

The Japanese plaza woz acute cutaway with so many little stores in restaurants tucked in period it was much bigger than I thought because I came back later in the evening in found another part that had many other stores. I wish they had public restaurants, as there are so many little shops to go in-and-out of. I was able to find some great deals at a few stores and visited a few others which were a little lacklustre. All in all it was one of my favourite places in downtown LA.

What a thrill to finally be able to spend time at this wonderful Mall. I so enjoyed the food, the grocery and the culture this mall has to offer. I will say, there are a number of what appear to be homeless folks lurking and approached asking if we liked poetry or if we had some change to spare. I did appreciate the visible security presence. Can only imagine how crowded weekends may get. Going during the week was a major bonus. Saw ice cream stores, toy stores, a fabulous grocery store, bakeries and in each store we visited, the folks working within very friendly. I look forward to returning soon!

Love visiting the Japanese Village! Great place and we have the best time when we visit. A must for everyone!