Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA

Little Tokyo is the historic Japanese American neighborhood on the east side of downtown Los Angeles, founded around 1900 and once home to the largest Japanese American community in North America. Today it's a compact, walkable district of plazas, museums and restaurants, with a growing number of apartments. Housing in Little Tokyo is almost all apartments and lofts, from older mid-rise buildings to newer complexes with ground-floor shops. Several residential projects have opened or are underway, including affordable housing near the Go For Broke National Education Center. There are no single-family homes. Outdoor space is mostly plazas and courtyards. Japanese Village Plaza is the center of foot traffic, and Frances Hashimoto Plaza on 2nd Street is another open gathering spot. Grand Park and the lawns around City Hall are a short walk west, and the Arts District is just across Alameda Street. The food is a big part of daily life. Daikokuya on 1st Street is known for tonkotsu ramen topped with pork belly, and Marugame Monzo next door makes hand-cut udon, including a miso carbonara version. Fugetsu-Do on 1st Street sells traditional Japanese sweets, and Cafe Demitasse on San Pedro Street is the neighborhood coffee stop. Errands are easy on foot. Marukai Market and Nijiya Market carry Japanese groceries, and the Little Tokyo Marketplace on Alameda Street covers bigger trips. The tradeoff is limited green space and busy weekends. Nisei Week brings parades and taiko each August, and tourists fill the plazas most weekends. For people who live in the neighborhood, though, the Japanese American National Museum and a bowl of ramen are both just a short stroll from home.