Things to Do in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

The things to do in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles that we could check are Japanese Village Plaza, the Go For Broke Monument, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, and the free Hauser & Wirth gallery in the Arts District next door. Two big museums are closed this fall, so check that list before you go. The Metro A and E Lines stop right at the plaza. We read each official page on 1 November 2026.

Little Tokyo at a glance

Getting to Little Tokyo by Metro

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station is on the A and E Lines. It opened with the Regional Connector in 2023 (our LA Metro guide, checked 27 Oct 2026)

Price: $1.75 a ride (Metro Dodger Stadium page, read 1 Nov 2026). Metro caps fares at $5 a day

Note: Japanese Village Plaza's FAQ says the public restroom nearest the plaza is at the Metro station, across the street from the plaza's parking structure (Japanese Village Plaza FAQ, read 1 Nov 2026)

Union Station and Olvera Street are one stop north on the A Line. How to pay, the hours of each line and safety tips are in our LA Metro guide.

What is closed this fall

Two of the big sights here are closed as of 1 November 2026. Many older guides still list them as open.

Japanese American National Museum

Address: 100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Japanese American National Museum, plan your visit page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: Closed now. The museum says its Pavilion is closed for renovation and reopens on 23 January 2027. From then: Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays to 8 p.m., closed Mondays (same page)

Price: From 23 January 2027: adults $20, seniors 62 and over $15, college students and ages 6 to 18 $12, ages 5 and under free. Free on Fridays after 5 p.m. and on the first Friday of each month (same page)

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), across the street

The museum tells the story of Japanese Americans, including the camps of World War II. The museum store is closed until the Pavilion reopens, and the museum's online exhibits are still available.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA

Address: 152 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (MOCA, Geffen Contemporary page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: Temporarily closed for deinstallation and installation. MOCA did not list a reopening date (same page)

Price: Not listed while it is closed

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E)

MOCA's main building on Grand Avenue is open and free. It is closed Mondays, opens 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends (MOCA visit page, read 1 Nov 2026). Our Downtown LA guide has the details.

Little Tokyo

Japanese Village Plaza

Address: 335 E. 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Japanese Village Plaza, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: The plaza says each business sets its own hours, listed in its online directory (Japanese Village Plaza FAQ, read 1 Nov 2026)

Price: Free to walk. Each shop and restaurant sets its own prices

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), across the street

This is the busy center of Little Tokyo. It is an outdoor walkway lined with small shops, snack stands, sweets and restaurants, with paper lanterns overhead. Our tip: go on a weekday afternoon. Weekend evenings get crowded, and the most popular places have long lines.

Go For Broke Monument and Defining Courage

Address: 355 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Go For Broke National Education Center, visit page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: The Monument is free and open to the public during limited hours because of construction. The Defining Courage exhibition is open Friday 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Monday to Thursday (same page)

Price: Monument free. Defining Courage: $10 general, $5 seniors 62 and over and students with ID (same page)

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), then a short walk east on 1st Street

The Monument honors Japanese American soldiers who served in World War II. The center's site has a name finder if you are looking for a family member.

Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC)

Address: 244 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (JACCC, visit page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: Office: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. MISE exhibition center: Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday to Friday by appointment (same page)

Price: Not confirmed. The visit page did not list prices

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), then about a 5-minute walk south on San Pedro Street

JACCC is the community center for Little Tokyo. It holds exhibits, classes and shows at its Aratani Theatre. The visit page did not give hours for the Japanese garden, so we have not listed them.

Koyasan Buddhist Temple

Address: 342 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Hours: Not confirmed. We could not find visiting hours on an official page this week

Price: Not confirmed

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), then a short walk east on 1st Street

This is a working Buddhist temple. Be quiet and respectful if you step inside.

The Arts District

The Arts District starts just east of Little Tokyo, across Alameda Street. It is a neighborhood of old warehouses with murals, galleries, breweries and restaurants. Walk east on 3rd Street from the station.

Hauser & Wirth

Address: 901 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (Hauser & Wirth Downtown Los Angeles, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on 26 November, 24 and 25 December, and 31 December to 1 January (same page)

Price: Free. The gallery says entry to the gallery and garden is always free, with no booking needed (same page)

Subway: Little Tokyo/Arts District station (A, E), then about a 10-minute walk east on 3rd Street

Hauser & Wirth is a large art gallery in an old flour mill. It has rotating shows, an open courtyard, a garden with a chicken coop, and a restaurant called Manuela. In 2026 it marks 10 years in Downtown LA.

LA 2028 Olympics near Little Tokyo

Two LA28 venues are a short Metro ride away in Downtown LA. The Peacock Theater will host boxing preliminaries and weightlifting. The arena in Downtown Los Angeles will host the boxing finals, artistic gymnastics and trampoline (LA28 venue plan news release, 15 April 2025). Little Tokyo is a good place to eat before or after an event.

Free things to do in Little Tokyo

• Walk Japanese Village Plaza and look at the watchtower.

• See the names on the Go For Broke Monument.

• Visit Hauser & Wirth and its garden in the Arts District.

• Walk the Arts District and look at the murals.

• Go to MOCA Grand Avenue, which is free, a few stops away.

A half day by Metro

This is our own plan, not an official one. Take the A or E Line to Little Tokyo/Arts District around noon. Walk Japanese Village Plaza and get lunch. On a Friday or weekend, see the Go For Broke Monument and the Defining Courage exhibit. Walk east on 3rd Street to Hauser & Wirth and its garden. Walk back to the station, or ride one stop north to Union Station for Olvera Street.

Hauser & Wirth is closed Mondays. Defining Courage is open Friday to Sunday only. Friday to Sunday is the best time to see everything open.

What we checked and what can change

Read on 1 November 2026: the Japanese American National Museum's plan your visit page; MOCA's Geffen Contemporary and visit pages; Japanese Village Plaza's home page and FAQ; the Go For Broke National Education Center's visit page; JACCC's visit page; Hauser & Wirth Downtown Los Angeles's location page; Metro's Dodger Stadium page for the fare; and the LA28 venue plan news release of 15 April 2025.

Not confirmed: the Geffen Contemporary's reopening date, the Go For Broke Monument's exact hours during construction, JACCC's prices and garden hours, Koyasan Buddhist Temple's visiting hours, and the dates of Little Tokyo's 2027 New Year events. We took the temple's address from a visitor listing. Our own advice, not an official source: the half-day plan and the timing tips. Hours change on holidays and for events, so check each place's page for your date. We did not visit Little Tokyo for this page.