National Historic Landmark

Little Tokyo Historic District

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
August 21, 1986
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
86001479

About this property

Little Tokyo (Japanese: リトル・トーキョー; Hepburn; Ritoru Tōkyō), 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 (the other two are Japantown, San Francisco, and Japantown, San Jose). Founded around the beginning of the 20th century, the area (sometimes called Lil' Tokyo, J-Town, or Shō-Tōkyō (小東京)) is the cultural center for Japanese Americans in Southern California. It was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995.

Location

301--369 First and 106--120 San Pedro Sts.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
34.05019, -118.23990

Categories

COMMERCEASIANARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Little Tokyo Historic District

This page lists Little Tokyo Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Federal Building
Modern
0.3 mi
Higgins Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
US Court House and Post Office
Industrial
0.3 mi
Hotel Rosslyn Annex
Industrial
0.4 mi
Los Angeles Plaza Historic District
Early Republic
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Los Angeles
1846Mexican-American War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Little Tokyo Historic District listed on the National Register?

Little Tokyo Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Little Tokyo Historic District?

Little Tokyo Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Little Tokyo Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Little Tokyo Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Little Tokyo Historic District?

The period of significance for Little Tokyo Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Little Tokyo Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Little Tokyo Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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