Little Tokyo is a Japanese American district located in Downtown LA. I have been visiting Little Tokyo since I was little, and this summer, it was my ideal hang out spot to bring my friends. This article aims to take you through a fun day in Little Tokyo.
Little Tokyo is a super easy place to be dropped off by your parents and picked up. I usually get dropped off at Somi Somi, which is a soft-serve shop right across the street from the main Japanese plaza. I suggest using Somi Somi as a meet up spot with friends.
If you are hungry there are many food places you can choose from. One of my favorites is Cafe Dulce, a cafe with fresh donuts and other delicious pastries. Cafe Dulce offers the best blueberry matcha I have ever tried if you are into matcha. Another favorite of mine is Yamazaki Bakery. They sell warm steamed bao buns and cold vanilla soft serve which is great for hot days. If you aren’t feeling any of those options, there is also a strip of ramen places that sell authentic Japanese ramen. I recommend checking out Daikokuya, one of the more popular ramen spots and my favorite.
Now that you are full, you might want to walk off some of that excellent food. What better way than to go shopping! If you like Sanrio, Little Tokyo has an official Sanrio store, and even though there is usually a line to get in I promise you it’s worth it. Sonny Angels have recently been all the rage, and I am not ashamed to say I have bought all of my Sonny Angels in Little Tokyo. There are a few places that sell them for a reasonable price, but my favorites are Monkey Pants and Sakura Anime Toys. If you like music there is a record store called Going Underground Records. They have so many different records and the overall ambiance of the store is incredible.
After your fun day of eating and shopping you probably want to take some cute pictures with your friends. Little Tokyo is totally Instagram worthy. I never go without my digital camera, and if you forgot yours or do not have one, there is a secret photo booth located in an ice cream shop called Honeymee.
To end your day, I recommend going to one of the Japanese markets and grabbing a fizzy ramune soda. Remember, all of the places I mentioned are within a short walking distance of each other. The best part of Little Tokyo is exploring new places, but I hope this article gives you a taste of the places I enjoy.
