Little Tokyo Historic District
Japantown in Los Angeles. Added to the National Register in 1986, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Little Tokyo, also known as Little Tokyo Historic District, is an ethnically Japanese American district in downtown Los Angeles and the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in North America. It is the largest and most populous of only three official Japantowns in the United States, all of which are in California. Founded around the beginning of the 20th century, the area is the cultural center for Japanese Americans in Southern California. It was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Historic district |
| Address | 301--369 First and 106--120 San Pedro Sts., Los Angeles, CA |
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | Aug 22, 1986 |
| Listed for | Commerce, Asian heritage, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Reference number | 86001479 |
| Type of place | Japantown, historic district |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 9 buildings |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 301--369 First and 106--120 San Pedro Sts., Los Angeles, CA |
| Coordinates | 34.0505° N, 118.2403° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Los Angeles | 221 listed places in Los Angeles → |
| Nearest national park unit | Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area · 31 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Grassy Hollow 14 miles · Chilao Campground - Manzanita Loop 14 miles · Horse Flats Campground 14 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Los Angeles County
Local history books for Los Angeles
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Guidebooks to historic places in California
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Little Tokyo Historic District listed on the National Register?
Aug 22, 1986. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Where is Little Tokyo Historic District?
301--369 First and 106--120 San Pedro Sts., Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. The nearest national park unit is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 31 miles away.
What does the Little Tokyo Historic District listing include?
The listing counts 9 contributing resources. Those are 9 buildings. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Where is the nomination form for Little Tokyo Historic District?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Little Tokyo Historic District?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Grassy Hollow, 14 miles away. Chilao Campground - Manzanita Loop is 14 miles away, and Horse Flats Campground is 14 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there a wildfire near Little Tokyo Historic District right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-10, nearest Bouquet, 37 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, dates, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 86001479. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.