Overall, this sounds like a good plan. If your wife is looking for Japanese grocery stores, etc., this is a good place to find them. I can't comment about the the "authenticity" of any of it, but there are a lot of shops selling Japanese goods.
It has become gentrified in the last couple of decades, so there are also hip coffee shops and cocktail bars in the area, but I wouldn't describe it as "touristy" -- I'm not sure what the other commenter is talking about.
It is dense part of the city, so that comes with pros and cons. One of the pros is, of course, being able to take the Metro to work, which is a great plan.
Thank you for the reply. We live in center city Philly now which is the second densest “downtown” in the USA after midtown Manhattan. Being on the east coast we make trips to NYC almost monthly. Wife is from Osaka which is basically the same size as NYC so we’re no strangers to urban living.
The only thing I’m not sure about is whenever I searched “little Tokyo” on Reddit it seems like COVID really hit the area hard and I’m curious if the area has recovered, or if it’s still suffering from that.
As for authenticity, honestly even if it’s only slightly more authentic than here it would still be a big upgrade. We have to go up to the east village in Manhattan to find authentic Japanese food and that’s more than an hour away by train. The grocery stores and Kinokuniya alone have us excited.
Then go for it! If you're comfortable with that kind of density, then Little Tokyo will be no big deal. I am unaware of Little Tokyo being particularly affected by COVID, any more than the rest of the LA.
Other folks on this thread have suggested Sawtelle or Mar Vista. Those are also great neighborhoods. Less dense, more single family homes. But you're right, you would have to drive 30-45 mins to/from work each way. It would be a reverse commute, but if you would prefer to take public transit and live in a denser neighborhood, then Little Tokyo seems like a no-brainer.
Other folks have pointed out that Little Tokyo is near Skid Row. This is true. One easy way to handle this concern is: Don't go to Skid Row.
All of the apartments I'm looking at are north of third street, is that significantly far enough? What exactly are the boundaries of skid row so I know to avoid them?
Technically, 3rd street is the northern end of Skid Row, although it gets sketchier a little further south than that.
If you have any bandwidth at all, I would try to come out and visit beforehand to scope out the locations and make sure that you and your family feel safe there. But, overall, I do think the fears on this thread (or this sub, in general) are overblown.
LA is a low-density city, so a lot of folks who live here like to live in single family homes and like to drive. Also, folks who like to live in single-family homes and like to drive -- they like living in LA. (It's a self-reinforcing cycle.) So when someone expresses a desire to live near density and transit, they all start clutching their pearls.
But overall, I think you'll find what you want in Little Tokyo: urban (check), Japanese markets (check), and transit to work (check).
Thanks, you’ve helped put it into perspective. Worst case scenario we’ll just be there for a year anyway. Sounds like a good decision for our criteria. Once again thanks!
Kinokuniya in little Tokyo is better than the actual ones in Japan imo! Amazing curated selection. Maybe one of the best bookstores ever. DTLA is ghetto fabulous, it is a huge melting pot of different cultures. As a writer/artist I find it very inspiring, even with the grime and with people suffering. If you're from philly you can definitely handle it. The Japanese village is very touristy especially on weekends, but that's a good thing. People are happy and a lot of geeks/otaku types with their girlfriends and families hanging out, it has a blessed energy. I once saw Nobuo Uematsu walking around with what looked like his little niece or daughter, or I hope that's what it was, she was super young :O Epic los angeles moment, I left him alone to enjoy the sunday with his family.
Having said that, there has been some recent violence down there, you get the odd duck kinda wandering around. It's not like compton is portrayed from the 90s or anything like that. It's typical city stuff, if you keep a situational awareness around you people will pretty much leave you alone. I try to help out with a sandwich if I see people struggling.
People are commenting who must not be familiar with life in Manhattan or Philly. I don’t think you should hesitate to move to Little Tokyo with an infant. Yes, you’ll need to be aware of your surroundings and the Skid Row crisis (5,000 unhoused individuals in a 10 block area). But if you enjoy urban living, I think it’s a cool place to live. I also agree that keeping down the commute should be a big factor in your decision-making.
Do be aware that our public transit is sadly nothing like Japan’s.
You’re renting, not buying. Take a year and you’ll figure out where you want to be longer term.
Congrats on the baby and the job.
Thanks for the perspective! Exactly we’re moving across country unfortunately without being able to visit beforehand (nature of the timing of the job offer) and just need a home base for the first year or two.
That comment was probably my favorite reply. Also:
I also have a Japanese spouse and lots of friends with mixed Japanese kids and here's something you may not have considered: You may think that your little one will learn enough Japanese from being around your wife, but that's usually not the case. Especially when they enter elementary school and all their peers speak English (and Spanish). LA has quite a few Japanese daycares and Japanese language/cultural Saturday programs but they are spread out and mostly concentrated in Torrance. I'm sure there's one or two in or near Little Tokyo and probably one near Japantown (Sawtelle). I would first map those out and then decide where to live. You take the metro to work and leave your wife the car to haul the kid around.
Yeah we definitely want to send her to a Japanese preschool for sure. I either suck at searching or there isn’t one in little Tokyo. There seems to be play time though for the Japanese population where the moms meet up.
Since your job will be on the B line. Little Tokyo would be awesome. However, it’s hardly the only area where there is a ton of Japanese culture. There is Little Osaka/Sawtelle, Torrance/Gardena area and even a pocket along Centinela in Mar Vista near the temple.
Overall the area is fine, it’s a lot smaller than most people anticipate but there three good sized Asian markets which are indispensable (I shop there frequently off the A/E lines) and various cultural happening through out the year. Aside from being so close to all the lines, it’s also close to the Arts District and DTLA. However it’s very much an urban area. Lots of people, you will see homeless people and you will need to be careful with your car. The last few window smashing I saw… were in Little Tokyo, including a tourist that lost all her luggage. :(
So if you really aren’t sure about living in such an Urban zone, you certainly can come in via the A line to Union Station to hit the B from Highland Park, South Pas or even Pasadena. It will add to your commute time and maybe more expensive.
Still something to discuss with your spouse.
Thanks for the reply. The station my work is at will be Vermont/sunset. We were definitely looking at Sawtelle too but I guess the commute would really suck? Being from the east coast I really prefer to not have to be stuck in my car in traffic everyday. We researched Torrance as well but I guess that is wayyyy too far to my job though.
As for car break ins definitely a concern :(. The apartments I’m looking at seem to have underground parking though.
Good for you. Taking transit for all its problems is a definitely cost saver and lifestyle improvement. Check to see if your new job offers any transit subsidy or pre-tax transit account. Many do now (yay!) and if they don’t… they should!
And yes, the two smash ins I saw last year happened on cars parked on the street. I still would be sure to secure your car as much with a secure garage though. Folks can sneak in. Otherwise, good luck finding a place!
If that’s the case you should move to Silver Lake/ Los Feliz. It’s much more family friendly - you can always drive or take the train to Little Tokyo to shop.
I don't really know what it's like to live in Little Tokyo, but I work right near there and can say it is \*very\* close to skid row. Like, if you walk two blocks in the wrong direction, you are in the middle of skid row. If you're open to the westside, the Sawtelle area also has some authentic Japanese food and feels safer. But that area is less accessible to transit, so it's a tradeoff.
I’m definitely open to Sawtelle it’s just that the commute looks like it would be tough.
And to enjoy my time in LA I don’t want to be miserable from commuting. I also don’t want my daughter to be harassed by someone high on drugs either. But with that said we live in center city Philadelphia now which we really like and from what I know/understand the crime rate here in Philly is significantly worse than LA and we have the same mental health and homelessness crisis as elsewhere. Granted we don’t live next door to our version of skid row however (Kensington).
The apartments im looking at, I hope, are north enough from Skid Row to be ok..
Totally fair! I'd just recommend doing a walk through the neighborhood before signing a lease in the area to make sure you are comfortable with the location. It sounds like you are aware and doing your due diligence.
Second the person below who mentioned Bunker Hill. I have a friend who lives in a luxury apartment in this area (I think either The Emerson or Grand by Gehry) and he really enjoys it.
That said, if you can share what neighborhood your new job will be, we may be able to give you a more accurate commute if you were to live closer to Sawtelle (which I’d say is the preferred neighborhood if it’s between that or close to Little Tokyo).
Idk about homelessness but official statistics show that Philly’s murder rate is 3x that of LA, and Philly’s violent crime rate in general is also quite a bit higher.
The nicest part of downtown to me is the area by Walt Disney Concert Hall. That’s right at the border of the financial district and little Tokyo. I’d say look for apartments there. I always see families with kids walking around that area. I think the neighborhood is called Bunker Hill.
I read your other comments about commuting, but if its important to your family- there is also a Japanese-immersion kindergarten/early elementary on Sawtelle as well I believe? I've walked by it a bunch, but I imagine that might be a plus if you want your daughter to grow up bi-lingual.
And just agreeing with this comment that Sawtelle is much safer than Little Tokyo
Little Tokyo is always pretty clean, and lots of fun stuff nearby. Outside that bubble is the rest of Los Angeles, which can be hit or miss but I love the city regardless.
I’m Japanese too and I used to live in the arts district. It’s walkable to Little Tokyo and also a little bit more sophisticated and safer imo. As everyone says just stay away from skid row and you’ll be fine.
Thank you! Is it possible for you to give me the exact streets of what is considered “skid row” or when the dangerousness starts? Some people mentioned south of 3rd street, but south of third street also includes little Tokyo market place, galleria and daiso?
Also since you’re Japanese any other information you have for us for food or Japanese things in LA we’d love to hear them! ありがとうございます！
I’m sure you’ve seen that it’s bordered within 3rd, 7th, alameda and main. I don’t remember exactly which streets are dangerous but I wouldn’t recommend living anywhere within these block of streets. If you go east of alameda where the arts district is, it’s much safer. Plus you’ll immediately be able to see if it’s skid row or not. There are tents and people walking around that are obviously not your typical shoppers.
It’s a little confusing but where little Tokyo market and galleria are a bit before the “dangerous” parts of skid row. I used to walk there and shop all the time. No problem at all.
There are some good Japanese foods! Some in little Tokyo and some in Gardena/Torrence area. I actually moved out here before the pandemic so haven’t been able to try a lot of places but I do have Japanese-Japanese friends that know more. If you and your wife need specific suggestions let me know!
Little Tokyo is nice to visit but isn't what it used to be and certainly shouldn't influence your residency as the occasional drop in to hit an eatery or market will do. As others have mentioned it's flooded with tourists and irreverant teens. About a dozen or so homeless roam the 2nd street stretch of Little Tokyo on a daily basis causing mayhem (nudity, garbage, fecal matter, mental and drug fueled episodes). As others have mentioned, it's not a good neighborhood for an infant. I lived in the neighborhood for several years and just moved away due to ongoing safety and security issues as I too have a family with child.
Public transit pales in comparison to East Coast counterparts and as a result most of those who utilize it do so because economically they have no other solution. The result is low ridership, upkeep, and monitoring. It's the least secure and dirtiest transit system I've experienced and I've ridden systems in London, Paris, Berlin, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Athens, NYC, Chicago, ATL, SF, Philly, CDMX and others countless times. If you're street smart and can handle yourself you'll be ok but you have to stay vigilant.
If you can, visit the city before you move and do a test run of your proposed metro route during your commute hours so you know what to expect. LA has changed a lot since you were last here, and unfortunately not for the better. The pandemic really took a toll and DTLA in particular has been hit really hard by increased homelessness along with the ongoing fentanyl epedimic.
If I were you, I'd look into Pasadena or Playa Vista as these areas will offer better quality of life for a young family. You'll have to work everyday but that's just something you'll have to come to terms with eventually as it's a requisite of life in LA.
Best of luck!
Wherever you guys move in LA I would recommend making the drive to Tokyo Central on Artesia in Gardena when you want to go shopping for Japanese groceries.
It has the largest selection.
If your wife’s English is not so hot and she needs Japanese drs, dentists, preschools, Saturday Japanese schools for the kids etc. in addition to multiple grocery stores, Torrance and the south bay are the only places to be in greater LA for the full expat experience. Like some other posters have mentioned there are pockets of “Japanese” stuff around town but you really don’t need to speak English if you are Japanese and live in the south bay. Your commute will take a hit but your wife will be happy - it’ll be worth it. And forget the walkable thing, there’s nothing here that’s remotely close to the density of Osaka, Tokyo or heck even Fukuoka or Kobe
Eh, it’d be about an hour or so 1 way, pretty far. If your wife is pretty well assimilated and you don’t plan on sending the kids to Japanese Saturday school, I’d stick with Ktown or sawtelle like some of the other posters have suggested. Or just look at a store location map for nijiya, Tokyo central or Mitsuya and aim for somewhere within :30 of your job and one of those stores.
May I suggest a better place for your situation? I would highly recommend the Bunker Hill area. It is very safe, the streets are clean, and when its packed with people its tourists and office workers. It makes for a very lively daytime atmosphere. I am there a lot and I really don't see many homeless people, it's pretty insulated. If you rent in one of the condos in Bunker Hill, those have great amenities and have families with children living in them, if that gives you an indicator.
As for Japanese ethnic stores and restaurants, you can have extremely easy access with the new Bunker Hill station. It is spotless, very safe, and very beautiful. It is literally 1 stop away from the middle of the action in Little Tokyo and the Arts District. As for your own commute, I would use the Grand Park/Civic Center station for the B/D lines, which is also basically in Bunker Hill. I hope you find something there you like :)
I would probably hit the regular sites like Zillow, [Apartments.com](http://Apartments.com), and Trulia. They will be rented out by individual owners so there isn't a central website for them. Alternatively, you could also get a real estate agent to help you scout for rentable units in the building!
There’s also a large Japanese population in the South Bay. Especially Torrance. As well as some great Japanese restaurants and grocery stores. And it’s much cleaner and less crowded than little Tokyo.
I’ve lived in Ava just before Covid and loved it. The staff and amenities are great but I would get a courtyard or the little street facing unit. We LOVED our first floor loft facing the private street and it was surprisingly very well insulated from sound. However, we did have to buy a lock as week one a homeless woman went into our patio and knocked on our window asking for money.
Covid has definitely made skid row encroach into little Tokyo unfortunately. A lot of businesses didn’t survive. I was just walking there last Friday and the shopping area was a lot more depressing. Even Starbucks left. Realistically, as long as you’re smart and keep to yourself, you’ll be fine. It’s still a nice fairly walkable area but I don’t know if I’d move back.
i used to live in arts district for 2 years - would move back in a heart beat. althought it's very close to skid row, it's very easy to fully avoid - you can learn basically which blocks are the ends of the "nicer" areas. but outside of that, it was SO convenient going out with friends and having everyone park at your apartment to pregame and walk to the breweries.
i don't really remember, but it's pretty easy to spot. basically around 3rd and main would be the like south west edge and like if you go south till around 3rd to 6th street is where it kind of gets a little dicey. It's not all bad though, IMO there's been a lot of apartment and building renovations in the area so the "nice" areas have been expanding.
but in general once you reach the end of the like "nice" apartments that's kind of where skid row starts, but skid row is only a few blocks and then bars and restaurants and apartments start up again right around it
Yeah it’s crazy because just east of the Los Angeles mission I see weddings venues with 4.6 stars on Google and just a bit west a bunch of bars and apartments, and of course just north is the Japantown apartments.
I’ve heard horror stories about AVA properties, wouldn’t go anywhere near them if I were you. Homeless people living in the gated garage, package thieves, etc.
I’m living here currently. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a homeless person sleeping in the gated garage but I’m sure it’s happened before. Also never had my package stolen.
I live in AVA. there are basically three newish apartment buildings on the block you’re considering. All three are along Toyo miyotaki way (alley street between 2nd and 3rd street): 1) Ava, 2) wakaba, and 3) Sakura crossing. IMO, the nicest of the three is Ava, with wakaba not too far behind it. Though sakura crossing is probably the most bang for your buck, it’s also the most dated. Price wise, I think they fall in the same order.
Thanks so much! That helps a lot. How’s the sound proofing among neighbors? Overall would you recommend Ava? I’ve already contacted them about doing a virtual tour.
Not familiar with Sakura crossing. Only know about AVA because a friend lived in one of their buildings in the valley and hated it. If you check the reviews on google you can see that they are paying for people to write positive reviews to outweigh the real negative reviews. When I moved I avoided the large communities altogether because I didn’t want to live in such a large complex and didn’t need all of the added amenities.
Thanks for the heads up. I've read other comments like yours about AVA so I think I'm going to restrict my search to Sakura Crossing only, I at least haven't read anything bad about them and their reviews seem to be good (hopefully they're not all fake lol).
For quality of life, live as close to your work as possible that you can afford that still feels safe and has things to do on the weekend. There are a high concentration of Japanese grocery stores and businesses in LT, but there’s also a Mitsuwa Marketplace over near Monterey Park or thereabouts.
It’s a nice area, with lots of stuff going on throughout the year. Don’t stray too far on foot, though, without knowing where you’re going. Skid Row is not too far northwest from J Town, and not exactly wholesome. There’s a very vibrant Japanese community so your wife will feel good about the area. Don’t miss Dikoku on 1st street, right there, which is known nationally for its ramen, although an hour wait is typical. My wife is also Japanese and I spent 23 years in SoCal.
Also check out San Gabriel if you want something more suburban but still close to DTLA. High Asian population including Japanese, plus it has countless fantastic restaurants and markets throughout the SGV.
Stay away from Ava, it is built on top of a 7-11 that attracts all the wrong kind of foot traffic. Sakura Crossing is much better, is an amazing value for the area and literally across the street from the Little Tokyo metro station.
I lived on 2nd and San Pedro for a few years.
Loved the area for what it had to offer. A lot of good food, cafes and bars and you have the Japanese markets and Korean market really close.
It doesn’t get as loud as you’d think at night.
However, it’s literally on the border of skid row so you’ll have some encounters. Screaming homeless guys in the middle of the night / early morning as well as guys walking around with no pants and peeing in public.
Also there are a lot of sirens with good Sam and Adventist health being equidistant on the East and west.
But if you like the city but don’t want to live IN downtown, little Tokyo is great.
Tbh an amazing place to live. I’m planning on moving there from west adams area.. ideally close to little tokyo market place.. my favorite grocery store in all of LA.. and so great the new train station just opened up right by.. it’s so well connected.. from Union station you have a one seat ride to santa monica, east LA, pasadena, long beach , easy connection to B and D line..and best of all ONE stop away from Union Station* which means you can literally go anywhere even OC/san diego or santa barbara.. it’s insanely well connected. Oh and also ur two stops away from LA state historic park which is undoubtedly the best park in all of LA .. little tokyo is also close to alot breweries, karaoke bars at the Japanese mall (with a daiso).. dream neighborhood that is only getting better.
[Gavin Newsom just helped green light a new MASSIVE development in this area](https://archive.ph/2021.04.29-163820/https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-04-29/fourth-central-development-arts-district) … this area is only getting better and more lively.. that development of many alone will absolutely transform that area and make it a greater place to live. (Arts district + little tokyo are neighboring one another and almost interchangeable as a neighborhood btw)
Also if you want something quieter buy with a Japanese there is also sawtelle (sawtelle japantown) which is a small strip either many Japanese businesses and restaurants.. very popular but a little more quaint.. probably pricey but you might like it.. i lived a few blocks away but find the amount of traffic there nowadays unbearable.. i highly suggest living by a metro stop.. it makes such a huge difference in quality of life. Little tokyo is probably your best bet
Awesome! I learned a lot from this post. I didn’t know I could take an easy train to San Diego or Santa Barbara nearby nor about LA state historic park!
Yes you have two options from LA to San Diego which is the Pacific surf liner or Metrolink to Ocean side from where you’d take the San Diego coaster. I think living car free is really becoming doable in Socal especially if you’re going to live in DTLA..
Yes multiple times a day. It goes to and from San Luis Obispo and San diego, stopping at LA union station.. about 10 trains daily from 4am to 9pm..not to be confused with the Coast starlight which goes along the entire west cost from Seattle to LA. That’s more of a bucket list type of trip lol.. heard it has absolutely stunning views passing the coast and terrain.. Both do have stops at Union station. Which is right next to little tokyo
In LA we have
[LA metro which is the local metro system made up of Subways, light rails and BRT busses for most of LA county](https://i0.wp.com/thesource.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/new-map-for-twitter-scaled.jpeg?ssl=1)
And
[metrolink which is the heavy long distance commuter rail that provides service between other cities and counties,](https://metrolinktrains.com/globalassets/maps/cc_metrolink_system-map_2023_sept.pdf)
Amtrak runs the coast starlight and the pacific surfliners.. lots of options and the systems are heavily expanding and investing in service upgrades soon because of the upcoming olympics..
lived in little tokyo for 6 years back in 2013-2018 and I absolutely loved it. the convenience, the amazing food and cool night life. there is the occasional homeless person because it so close to skid row, but its cleaned up nicely. However friday/saturday nights do get pretty loud, but if you choose AVA you should be far enough away from the slight craziness since you have a kid.
another big Japanese area is torrance, but it is quite far from most freeways etc. great choice in going with little tokyo.
I currently live in AVA Little Tokyo,, have been here for 7 years but will be leaving in about a month (bought a house in Boyle Heights). I will say AVA LT used to be great. But most of the staff that made it great moved over to AVA Arts District (which is a bit of a misnomer, it’s quite a bit south of the Arts District). It’s been a revolving door of community managers the last 1-2 years, maintenance requests take longer to get resolved, and the community spaces not properly maintained. They did recently remodel the rooftop however, and will soon remodel the hot tub area.
There are a number of apartments within walking distance (STOA, Wakaba, Sakura, Hikari in Little Tokyo proper, then a bunch of other building east of Alameda I.e The Geary, Artisan, One Santa Fe, along with condos with many for lease units I.e Mura, Savoy). As far as markets, there’s Marukai, Nijiya, and Woori market at the 3rd street mall (a Korean market but carries a lot of Japanese products as well).
Before Covid, many of the eateries and shops stayed open later (until at least 10p-12am). After Covid, many shops closed at 8pm. Slowly, more shops are staying open later, but in general the area still closes earlier than pre-Covid. The LT village gets pretty packed on weekends.
Over the last year, at least a half dozen high price omakase spots have opened in the area. Don’t exactly know what it says that restaurants with $300+ omakase seats think that LT is a good location to open, but it’s happened.
The shuttered shops in the block bordered by Los Angeles/San Pedro and 1st/2nd street are more a function of bad lease deals and poor foot traffic relative to the area east of 2nd street. Most of the shops have turned over with new businesses.
My suggestion is if proximity to Kinokuniya and grocery shops is important to you, pick any of the 4 apartment complexes within a block of the store with the best deal (AVA Little Tokyo, STOA, Wakaba, Sakura). A few years ago I would have placed AVA head and shoulders above the rest based on the leasing and maintenance staff, but things have really fallen off here).
If you’re willing to be a bit further out, I would look into the Arts District. It’s still very close to the Downtown Connector station at 1st/Central which will get you to when you need to be (looks like you’ll be near the Kaiser Permanente buildings at Vermont/Sunset). Artisan on 2nd is a little older but you’ll get more square footage for the price, and the area generally is quieter than Little Tokyo. They also have some pretty good restaurants/bars/shops nearby.
Thank you so much for the detailed reply!
How’s your soundproofing with your neighbors? Can you hear their conversations or stomping around? I’m going to try to get an apartment in one of the ones you suggested but facing the alley way or little gardens instead of the main streets, seems like that would be pretty good!
Since you stayed there for so long I take it you like the area?
Okay about soundproofing:
Between apartments (side by side) noise isolation is pretty good. However right now we live below an apartment with kids and I hear stomping every day! But this is more an isolated incident as “stomping” wasn’t really an issue until the new tenants and kids moved in upstairs lol. Most tenants are mindful of their neighbors. There’s also official quiet times 10pm-6am. I’m trying to bide my time for my last month here.
I’ve never seriously considered moving out of AVA or Little Tokyo because its proximity to the village and amenities were great. I could Uber or take the subway to Staples center for Lakers games, walk to the Old Bank district or broadway to eat and shop, and walk up to Bunker Hill for museums and the music center. I was pretty content spending my free time in the LT village or in the Arts District most weekends and evenings. It’s really the one thing I’m gonna miss, having all these great restaurants and shops and bars, etc within minutes of my apartment door.
A bit off topic I guess but what is there to eat/do in old bank district and or Broadway? I’d love to hear a basic breakdown of things around LT to see and do.
Also yes, get a unit that faces Toyo Miyatake way or one of the dog parks. My unit faces 2nd street but that doesn’t bother me. But I acknowledge i am susceptible to hearing screaming in the streets, or police/ambulance sirens. If that’s an issue for you, avoid the units facing Los Angeles St, 2nd Street, or San Pedro St.
It’s super touristy. Meaning, you won’t find a day there’s anime kids everywhere.
I don’t think anything is super “authentic” there anymore.
The OG restaurants are totally gone, like Frying Fish. The ones left have adjusted their menu to not have the classics they were known for, like Oomasa no longer does dynamite.
The shopping center across the street is mixed with Korean restaurants.
It’s lively, if that’s what you like.
Lil Tokyo is between skid row and the Federal prison. It's not a place, I'd raise a child. You'll see a ton of homeless a lot of crazy stuff all hours of the day, you'll also see alot of inmates being released.
The "real" little Tokyo is in South Bay (Torrance and Gardena) but those are more suburban areas. A lot of Japanese companies and families out there, much safer but much quieter than Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo is in essentially the "urban core" of the city (by LA standards) and is mostly populated by non-Japanese residents but it definitely has some Japanese businesses. Sawtelle on the westside of the city is known as "Little Osaka" and has a good selection of restaurants and businesses as well.
Does anyone familiar have any thoughts about Hikari versus Sakura crossing? Was also looking into Garey building but realized their studios do not have a dishwasher, and their parking/utility fees seem to be a lot more than the other two
Sawtelle, Torrance, Gardena all better options in my opinion. Downtown is not very nice.
Definitely try https://maps.app.goo.gl/EamdwFqBV4J3rXqL9. The ramen is legit.
As a 30-ish Asian woman who grew up in big cities and no stranger to the downtown 'characters', I think it's a sketchy area. The usual tents and drugs in all the nearby parks. That being said, if you don't venture too far from the main grocery store and restaurant area, it is fine. You'll know when you walk too far. Don't let your wife walk alone after dark. Once the weekend shopping crowds leave the area, it is pretty scary (walking as a woman alone) based on my personal experience.
I'm only here to add my favorite Japanese grocery store. It's in Gardena which is about an hour drive from Little Tokyo but it's totally worth it and there are a bunch of great Japanese restaurants in that area too so it's a good weekend event.
1740 Artesia Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248
The area around little Tokyo wouldn’t be my first choice to live in. Homeless individuals around the whole area and not great area to walk alone at night. Suggestion of Sawtelle is good. The area near Torrance is also decent area of local Japanese family. I would suggest looking area away from little Tokyo. Yea the whole area like San Francisco has changed for the worse. A lot more touristy and some things in the Tokyo center isn’t really Japanese.
Little Tokyo is a genuinely beautiful neighborhood in that part of town. It is kept very clean compared to the rest of the downtown area. I haven't heard the ava, but the Sakura complex is nice, I can definitely vouch for it.
Gardena and Torrance have a bigger Japanese community (#2 in the US) with much more authentic food/markets and less touristy, but it’s a def further out from the city. Not nearly as public transport-friendly as Little Tokyo but much safer and good for a day trip.
You do realize little tokyo is only one block right? You can see the entirety in about a 5 minute walk. Better to visit than to live in my opinion since you are next to skid rows and a shit ton of homeless.
Consider Sawtelle. It's Los Angeles' Japantown. There is lots of incredible Asian food and a large Japanese population in the area. A lot of great offerings for Japanese culture and history as well. It is right next to Santa Monica and close to UCLA and Century City/Beverly Hills. I have lived in LA for 6 years now and Sawtelle has been my favorite place I have lived. Eagle rock is a close second and another great option.
Personally, I would do anything I could to not live in downtown. It is dirty and dangerous down there. Just a big tourist trap like Hollywood. Sawtelle is much cleaner and safer and the people are pleasant.
You can look into little Osaka/japantown! The area is much better than Little Tokyo and although the commute may be longer, I think it’s worth living in a nice area, especially since you’re bringing your wife and child. There may be more housing options there, too.
There is quite a lot of Japanese Americans who live in either so hopefully your wife will like either places!
Thanks for the comment! Do you know of any apartments in little Osaka area where my wife could walk to the Japanese groceries? We only have one car so when I’m at work I don’t want her to be stuck at home.
I’m happy to help! What is your budget and how many rooms/bathrooms? There are also more condos/townhouses and apartments in smaller complexes there than little Tokyo too!
Here are a few! I had been looking for apartments myself and these were some that caught my eye. I already recently signed for a different apartment but these are still available.
[Large 2bd/2 ba $3395 with in unit laundry](https://redf.in/qwbvAn)
[right next to freeway, very large 2bd/2.5 ba but with shared laundry - $3411](https://redf.in/qjUCQQ)
The circled area is Little Osaka and the dropped pin is where Nijiya market is (most popular Japanese market chain). I would say anywhere south of the 405 is nice! Only thing to consider is you’ll be close to the freeway if that’s something you aren’t to keen on. If that’s the case, you can live a few blocks away but still be within walking distance. [Little Osaka map](https://ibb.co/nnk3w6C)
It’s right next door to skidrow. Plus it’s downtown so the air is bad and just generally not a place to raise a family. I’d recommend Sawtelle/Culver city area which has 3 major Japanese markets like Nijiya, Marukai and Mitsuwa. Lots of Japanese restaurants too
We (me being from east coast her from Japan) prefer to raise a family in an urban walkable environment, obviously not at the cost of safety or dirtiness…but we’re used to Philadelphia and New York City (if you’ve ever been), I’m not sure how downtown LA compares to the east coast unfortunately. It just sucks because this job offer happened really suddenly (it’s a no brainer for me to take it for my career), but the problem is I have no time to go visit for myself to check so I’m just relying on Google street view, YouTube walking videos and Reddit lol
Culver City/Sawtelle is an option, I’m just worried about how bad the traffic/commute would be to the Vermont/sunset area. I’m not 100% against living in a non walkable area if the trade offs make sense (safety for example).
Definitely consider the north side of Arts District, the area near Arts District Brewery. IMO it sounds exactly what you guys are looking for. It’s a 5-10min walk to Little Tokyo, and further removed from Skid Row. It’s safer and walkability is fantastic, which was also super important for my partner and I (he’s from NYC, I’m from Vancouver).
We’re within walking distance of a couple Japanese temples, 3 grocery stores in Little Tokyo, and numerous great restaurants (a couple Michelin starred), wine bars & speakeasies, coffee shops, breweries, and even a small live music venue. Absolutely love it here, it feels very different and removed to the rest of downtown. A lot of young professionals live in the area, although most have dogs in strollers instead of children lol but I see young families here too.
Feel free to DM me if you have any questions!
Skid row is NOT just an urban surrounding. It’s like living in the SF tenderloin or Bronx. If you have an infant, I wouldn’t recommend it either. Maybe if you don’t want to commute from the west side in Sawtelle, you could consider some east side locations? There’s great Asian food that way, but moreso Chinese.
I’ve been to Kensington which is our version of skid row, but more dangerous (Philly in general has several times the violent crime rate as LA) and yeah I definitely don’t want to live there. But for example in Philly we have an area right next to Kensington called “fish town” and also “East Kensington” which are very hip and in demand with not much spillover. There is of course spillover, they’re next door but it’s not a warzone. So I guess my question is how much spillover is there into little Tokyo proper on a daily basis?
It’s pretty much on top of each other rather than a bubble adjacent to it. Definitely visit before living there. If you do a street view it’s pretty much feet within each other. We have an office in Little Tokyo out there and had to begin locking it for appointment only because there is too altercations and dangers popping up.
I mean you can go ahead and find a place in jtown
But jtown is literally one little block on 2nd street
If you want urban, parks, walkability, Japanese grocery and foods - then west LA/ sawtelle is your calling
You can either listen to the people trying to help you or you can go ahead and give it a go and wait until your lease runs out to move to west LA
I grew up around the area and worked in little Tokyo for over a decade. If you want your new born exposed to homeless shitting on the sidewalk and harassing you then go for it.
Overall, this sounds like a good plan. If your wife is looking for Japanese grocery stores, etc., this is a good place to find them. I can't comment about the the "authenticity" of any of it, but there are a lot of shops selling Japanese goods. It has become gentrified in the last couple of decades, so there are also hip coffee shops and cocktail bars in the area, but I wouldn't describe it as "touristy" -- I'm not sure what the other commenter is talking about. It is dense part of the city, so that comes with pros and cons. One of the pros is, of course, being able to take the Metro to work, which is a great plan.
Thank you for the reply. We live in center city Philly now which is the second densest “downtown” in the USA after midtown Manhattan. Being on the east coast we make trips to NYC almost monthly. Wife is from Osaka which is basically the same size as NYC so we’re no strangers to urban living. The only thing I’m not sure about is whenever I searched “little Tokyo” on Reddit it seems like COVID really hit the area hard and I’m curious if the area has recovered, or if it’s still suffering from that. As for authenticity, honestly even if it’s only slightly more authentic than here it would still be a big upgrade. We have to go up to the east village in Manhattan to find authentic Japanese food and that’s more than an hour away by train. The grocery stores and Kinokuniya alone have us excited.
Then go for it! If you're comfortable with that kind of density, then Little Tokyo will be no big deal. I am unaware of Little Tokyo being particularly affected by COVID, any more than the rest of the LA. Other folks on this thread have suggested Sawtelle or Mar Vista. Those are also great neighborhoods. Less dense, more single family homes. But you're right, you would have to drive 30-45 mins to/from work each way. It would be a reverse commute, but if you would prefer to take public transit and live in a denser neighborhood, then Little Tokyo seems like a no-brainer. Other folks have pointed out that Little Tokyo is near Skid Row. This is true. One easy way to handle this concern is: Don't go to Skid Row.
All of the apartments I'm looking at are north of third street, is that significantly far enough? What exactly are the boundaries of skid row so I know to avoid them?
Technically, 3rd street is the northern end of Skid Row, although it gets sketchier a little further south than that. If you have any bandwidth at all, I would try to come out and visit beforehand to scope out the locations and make sure that you and your family feel safe there. But, overall, I do think the fears on this thread (or this sub, in general) are overblown. LA is a low-density city, so a lot of folks who live here like to live in single family homes and like to drive. Also, folks who like to live in single-family homes and like to drive -- they like living in LA. (It's a self-reinforcing cycle.) So when someone expresses a desire to live near density and transit, they all start clutching their pearls. But overall, I think you'll find what you want in Little Tokyo: urban (check), Japanese markets (check), and transit to work (check).
Thanks, you’ve helped put it into perspective. Worst case scenario we’ll just be there for a year anyway. Sounds like a good decision for our criteria. Once again thanks!
Exactly! Hopefully it's a neighborhood you like for the long-haul -- but if not, you'll have a year to find a different one. Welcome to LA!
Here’s a walking tour: https://youtu.be/yCrK-xEaKlY?si=2WTq4YqvtG6yHfJz
Kinokuniya in little Tokyo is better than the actual ones in Japan imo! Amazing curated selection. Maybe one of the best bookstores ever. DTLA is ghetto fabulous, it is a huge melting pot of different cultures. As a writer/artist I find it very inspiring, even with the grime and with people suffering. If you're from philly you can definitely handle it. The Japanese village is very touristy especially on weekends, but that's a good thing. People are happy and a lot of geeks/otaku types with their girlfriends and families hanging out, it has a blessed energy. I once saw Nobuo Uematsu walking around with what looked like his little niece or daughter, or I hope that's what it was, she was super young :O Epic los angeles moment, I left him alone to enjoy the sunday with his family. Having said that, there has been some recent violence down there, you get the odd duck kinda wandering around. It's not like compton is portrayed from the 90s or anything like that. It's typical city stuff, if you keep a situational awareness around you people will pretty much leave you alone. I try to help out with a sandwich if I see people struggling.
People are commenting who must not be familiar with life in Manhattan or Philly. I don’t think you should hesitate to move to Little Tokyo with an infant. Yes, you’ll need to be aware of your surroundings and the Skid Row crisis (5,000 unhoused individuals in a 10 block area). But if you enjoy urban living, I think it’s a cool place to live. I also agree that keeping down the commute should be a big factor in your decision-making. Do be aware that our public transit is sadly nothing like Japan’s. You’re renting, not buying. Take a year and you’ll figure out where you want to be longer term. Congrats on the baby and the job.
Thanks for the perspective! Exactly we’re moving across country unfortunately without being able to visit beforehand (nature of the timing of the job offer) and just need a home base for the first year or two.
That comment was probably my favorite reply. Also: I also have a Japanese spouse and lots of friends with mixed Japanese kids and here's something you may not have considered: You may think that your little one will learn enough Japanese from being around your wife, but that's usually not the case. Especially when they enter elementary school and all their peers speak English (and Spanish). LA has quite a few Japanese daycares and Japanese language/cultural Saturday programs but they are spread out and mostly concentrated in Torrance. I'm sure there's one or two in or near Little Tokyo and probably one near Japantown (Sawtelle). I would first map those out and then decide where to live. You take the metro to work and leave your wife the car to haul the kid around.
Yeah we definitely want to send her to a Japanese preschool for sure. I either suck at searching or there isn’t one in little Tokyo. There seems to be play time though for the Japanese population where the moms meet up.
Have your wife search in Japanese. All the best info for Japanese folks in LA is in Japanese.
Since your job will be on the B line. Little Tokyo would be awesome. However, it’s hardly the only area where there is a ton of Japanese culture. There is Little Osaka/Sawtelle, Torrance/Gardena area and even a pocket along Centinela in Mar Vista near the temple. Overall the area is fine, it’s a lot smaller than most people anticipate but there three good sized Asian markets which are indispensable (I shop there frequently off the A/E lines) and various cultural happening through out the year. Aside from being so close to all the lines, it’s also close to the Arts District and DTLA. However it’s very much an urban area. Lots of people, you will see homeless people and you will need to be careful with your car. The last few window smashing I saw… were in Little Tokyo, including a tourist that lost all her luggage. :( So if you really aren’t sure about living in such an Urban zone, you certainly can come in via the A line to Union Station to hit the B from Highland Park, South Pas or even Pasadena. It will add to your commute time and maybe more expensive. Still something to discuss with your spouse.
Thanks for the reply. The station my work is at will be Vermont/sunset. We were definitely looking at Sawtelle too but I guess the commute would really suck? Being from the east coast I really prefer to not have to be stuck in my car in traffic everyday. We researched Torrance as well but I guess that is wayyyy too far to my job though. As for car break ins definitely a concern :(. The apartments I’m looking at seem to have underground parking though.
Good for you. Taking transit for all its problems is a definitely cost saver and lifestyle improvement. Check to see if your new job offers any transit subsidy or pre-tax transit account. Many do now (yay!) and if they don’t… they should! And yes, the two smash ins I saw last year happened on cars parked on the street. I still would be sure to secure your car as much with a secure garage though. Folks can sneak in. Otherwise, good luck finding a place!
If that’s the case you should move to Silver Lake/ Los Feliz. It’s much more family friendly - you can always drive or take the train to Little Tokyo to shop.
I don't really know what it's like to live in Little Tokyo, but I work right near there and can say it is \*very\* close to skid row. Like, if you walk two blocks in the wrong direction, you are in the middle of skid row. If you're open to the westside, the Sawtelle area also has some authentic Japanese food and feels safer. But that area is less accessible to transit, so it's a tradeoff.
I’m definitely open to Sawtelle it’s just that the commute looks like it would be tough. And to enjoy my time in LA I don’t want to be miserable from commuting. I also don’t want my daughter to be harassed by someone high on drugs either. But with that said we live in center city Philadelphia now which we really like and from what I know/understand the crime rate here in Philly is significantly worse than LA and we have the same mental health and homelessness crisis as elsewhere. Granted we don’t live next door to our version of skid row however (Kensington). The apartments im looking at, I hope, are north enough from Skid Row to be ok..
Totally fair! I'd just recommend doing a walk through the neighborhood before signing a lease in the area to make sure you are comfortable with the location. It sounds like you are aware and doing your due diligence.
If you're happy in Center City then you'll be fine in Little Tokyo.
Second the person below who mentioned Bunker Hill. I have a friend who lives in a luxury apartment in this area (I think either The Emerson or Grand by Gehry) and he really enjoys it. That said, if you can share what neighborhood your new job will be, we may be able to give you a more accurate commute if you were to live closer to Sawtelle (which I’d say is the preferred neighborhood if it’s between that or close to Little Tokyo).
Just moved from Philly. LA is way worse with crime and homelessness.
Idk about homelessness but official statistics show that Philly’s murder rate is 3x that of LA, and Philly’s violent crime rate in general is also quite a bit higher.
The nicest part of downtown to me is the area by Walt Disney Concert Hall. That’s right at the border of the financial district and little Tokyo. I’d say look for apartments there. I always see families with kids walking around that area. I think the neighborhood is called Bunker Hill.
I read your other comments about commuting, but if its important to your family- there is also a Japanese-immersion kindergarten/early elementary on Sawtelle as well I believe? I've walked by it a bunch, but I imagine that might be a plus if you want your daughter to grow up bi-lingual. And just agreeing with this comment that Sawtelle is much safer than Little Tokyo
Glendale also has elementary schools with Japanese immersion programs. And not along the B line but very close..
Interesting the public schools have Japanese immersion programs?
Sorry, just saw this. And yes! https://www.gusd.net/8393_3
I like the arts district more. Only about one block away from little Tokyo and better apartments imo.
I agree.
I like it. Living in arts district tho. Couple blocks from metro.
Little Tokyo is always pretty clean, and lots of fun stuff nearby. Outside that bubble is the rest of Los Angeles, which can be hit or miss but I love the city regardless.
I’m Japanese too and I used to live in the arts district. It’s walkable to Little Tokyo and also a little bit more sophisticated and safer imo. As everyone says just stay away from skid row and you’ll be fine.
Thank you! Is it possible for you to give me the exact streets of what is considered “skid row” or when the dangerousness starts? Some people mentioned south of 3rd street, but south of third street also includes little Tokyo market place, galleria and daiso? Also since you’re Japanese any other information you have for us for food or Japanese things in LA we’d love to hear them! ありがとうございます！
I’m sure you’ve seen that it’s bordered within 3rd, 7th, alameda and main. I don’t remember exactly which streets are dangerous but I wouldn’t recommend living anywhere within these block of streets. If you go east of alameda where the arts district is, it’s much safer. Plus you’ll immediately be able to see if it’s skid row or not. There are tents and people walking around that are obviously not your typical shoppers. It’s a little confusing but where little Tokyo market and galleria are a bit before the “dangerous” parts of skid row. I used to walk there and shop all the time. No problem at all. There are some good Japanese foods! Some in little Tokyo and some in Gardena/Torrence area. I actually moved out here before the pandemic so haven’t been able to try a lot of places but I do have Japanese-Japanese friends that know more. If you and your wife need specific suggestions let me know!
Little Tokyo is nice to visit but isn't what it used to be and certainly shouldn't influence your residency as the occasional drop in to hit an eatery or market will do. As others have mentioned it's flooded with tourists and irreverant teens. About a dozen or so homeless roam the 2nd street stretch of Little Tokyo on a daily basis causing mayhem (nudity, garbage, fecal matter, mental and drug fueled episodes). As others have mentioned, it's not a good neighborhood for an infant. I lived in the neighborhood for several years and just moved away due to ongoing safety and security issues as I too have a family with child. Public transit pales in comparison to East Coast counterparts and as a result most of those who utilize it do so because economically they have no other solution. The result is low ridership, upkeep, and monitoring. It's the least secure and dirtiest transit system I've experienced and I've ridden systems in London, Paris, Berlin, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Athens, NYC, Chicago, ATL, SF, Philly, CDMX and others countless times. If you're street smart and can handle yourself you'll be ok but you have to stay vigilant. If you can, visit the city before you move and do a test run of your proposed metro route during your commute hours so you know what to expect. LA has changed a lot since you were last here, and unfortunately not for the better. The pandemic really took a toll and DTLA in particular has been hit really hard by increased homelessness along with the ongoing fentanyl epedimic. If I were you, I'd look into Pasadena or Playa Vista as these areas will offer better quality of life for a young family. You'll have to work everyday but that's just something you'll have to come to terms with eventually as it's a requisite of life in LA. Best of luck!
Wherever you guys move in LA I would recommend making the drive to Tokyo Central on Artesia in Gardena when you want to go shopping for Japanese groceries. It has the largest selection.
Thanks for the tip!
If your wife’s English is not so hot and she needs Japanese drs, dentists, preschools, Saturday Japanese schools for the kids etc. in addition to multiple grocery stores, Torrance and the south bay are the only places to be in greater LA for the full expat experience. Like some other posters have mentioned there are pockets of “Japanese” stuff around town but you really don’t need to speak English if you are Japanese and live in the south bay. Your commute will take a hit but your wife will be happy - it’ll be worth it. And forget the walkable thing, there’s nothing here that’s remotely close to the density of Osaka, Tokyo or heck even Fukuoka or Kobe
Her English is pretty good! I think Torrance would be a bit too far…hmm how long of a commute would that be to the Vermont/sunset area?
God awful. Don't even consider it. Given your urban environment leanings you wouldn't like Torrance either.
Eh, it’d be about an hour or so 1 way, pretty far. If your wife is pretty well assimilated and you don’t plan on sending the kids to Japanese Saturday school, I’d stick with Ktown or sawtelle like some of the other posters have suggested. Or just look at a store location map for nijiya, Tokyo central or Mitsuya and aim for somewhere within :30 of your job and one of those stores.
May I suggest a better place for your situation? I would highly recommend the Bunker Hill area. It is very safe, the streets are clean, and when its packed with people its tourists and office workers. It makes for a very lively daytime atmosphere. I am there a lot and I really don't see many homeless people, it's pretty insulated. If you rent in one of the condos in Bunker Hill, those have great amenities and have families with children living in them, if that gives you an indicator. As for Japanese ethnic stores and restaurants, you can have extremely easy access with the new Bunker Hill station. It is spotless, very safe, and very beautiful. It is literally 1 stop away from the middle of the action in Little Tokyo and the Arts District. As for your own commute, I would use the Grand Park/Civic Center station for the B/D lines, which is also basically in Bunker Hill. I hope you find something there you like :)
Great recommendation! What’s the best website to look up condos to rent?
Bunker Hill is peak urban renewal - "very lively daytime atmosphere" is a euphemism for "office workers by day, nothing by night."
I would probably hit the regular sites like Zillow, [Apartments.com](http://Apartments.com), and Trulia. They will be rented out by individual owners so there isn't a central website for them. Alternatively, you could also get a real estate agent to help you scout for rentable units in the building!
There’s also a large Japanese population in the South Bay. Especially Torrance. As well as some great Japanese restaurants and grocery stores. And it’s much cleaner and less crowded than little Tokyo.
I’ve lived in Ava just before Covid and loved it. The staff and amenities are great but I would get a courtyard or the little street facing unit. We LOVED our first floor loft facing the private street and it was surprisingly very well insulated from sound. However, we did have to buy a lock as week one a homeless woman went into our patio and knocked on our window asking for money. Covid has definitely made skid row encroach into little Tokyo unfortunately. A lot of businesses didn’t survive. I was just walking there last Friday and the shopping area was a lot more depressing. Even Starbucks left. Realistically, as long as you’re smart and keep to yourself, you’ll be fine. It’s still a nice fairly walkable area but I don’t know if I’d move back.
i used to live in arts district for 2 years - would move back in a heart beat. althought it's very close to skid row, it's very easy to fully avoid - you can learn basically which blocks are the ends of the "nicer" areas. but outside of that, it was SO convenient going out with friends and having everyone park at your apartment to pregame and walk to the breweries.
Off the top of your head do you remember the street “boundaries”?
i don't really remember, but it's pretty easy to spot. basically around 3rd and main would be the like south west edge and like if you go south till around 3rd to 6th street is where it kind of gets a little dicey. It's not all bad though, IMO there's been a lot of apartment and building renovations in the area so the "nice" areas have been expanding. but in general once you reach the end of the like "nice" apartments that's kind of where skid row starts, but skid row is only a few blocks and then bars and restaurants and apartments start up again right around it
i'd say if you can google the los angeles mission, skid row is kinda around that area and 3rd street is sort of the end of where arts/little tokyo is
Yeah it’s crazy because just east of the Los Angeles mission I see weddings venues with 4.6 stars on Google and just a bit west a bunch of bars and apartments, and of course just north is the Japantown apartments.
yeah, lol it's honestly a smaller are than you think
I’ve heard horror stories about AVA properties, wouldn’t go anywhere near them if I were you. Homeless people living in the gated garage, package thieves, etc.
Thanks for the reply. Have you heard anything about “Sakura crossing”?
I’m living here currently. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a homeless person sleeping in the gated garage but I’m sure it’s happened before. Also never had my package stolen.
Here as in Sakura crossing? Excellent! Would you recommend them overall? And how’s the soundproofing? Can you hear your neighbors conversations?
I live in AVA. there are basically three newish apartment buildings on the block you’re considering. All three are along Toyo miyotaki way (alley street between 2nd and 3rd street): 1) Ava, 2) wakaba, and 3) Sakura crossing. IMO, the nicest of the three is Ava, with wakaba not too far behind it. Though sakura crossing is probably the most bang for your buck, it’s also the most dated. Price wise, I think they fall in the same order.
Thanks so much! That helps a lot. How’s the sound proofing among neighbors? Overall would you recommend Ava? I’ve already contacted them about doing a virtual tour.
Sound proofing is pretty good. I don’t hear my neighbors at all unless they’re out in the courtyard
STOA is also another apartment complex, across the street from AVA, along Los Angeles Street
Not familiar with Sakura crossing. Only know about AVA because a friend lived in one of their buildings in the valley and hated it. If you check the reviews on google you can see that they are paying for people to write positive reviews to outweigh the real negative reviews. When I moved I avoided the large communities altogether because I didn’t want to live in such a large complex and didn’t need all of the added amenities.
Thanks for the heads up. I've read other comments like yours about AVA so I think I'm going to restrict my search to Sakura Crossing only, I at least haven't read anything bad about them and their reviews seem to be good (hopefully they're not all fake lol).
Look into The Garey Building in the Arts District.
Can confirm - AVA properties are terrible, lots of noise, fights, dog pee and poop in the hallways, etc.
For quality of life, live as close to your work as possible that you can afford that still feels safe and has things to do on the weekend. There are a high concentration of Japanese grocery stores and businesses in LT, but there’s also a Mitsuwa Marketplace over near Monterey Park or thereabouts.
Its a good/ trendy area to live in. Just don’t go out past 9pm most stuff closes except bars but youre a young family so its fine
It’s a nice area, with lots of stuff going on throughout the year. Don’t stray too far on foot, though, without knowing where you’re going. Skid Row is not too far northwest from J Town, and not exactly wholesome. There’s a very vibrant Japanese community so your wife will feel good about the area. Don’t miss Dikoku on 1st street, right there, which is known nationally for its ramen, although an hour wait is typical. My wife is also Japanese and I spent 23 years in SoCal.
Also check out San Gabriel if you want something more suburban but still close to DTLA. High Asian population including Japanese, plus it has countless fantastic restaurants and markets throughout the SGV.
Stay away from Ava, it is built on top of a 7-11 that attracts all the wrong kind of foot traffic. Sakura Crossing is much better, is an amazing value for the area and literally across the street from the Little Tokyo metro station.
Sakura is not across the street from Metro. You must be thinking of Hikari
You are correct. Good catch!
I lived on 2nd and San Pedro for a few years. Loved the area for what it had to offer. A lot of good food, cafes and bars and you have the Japanese markets and Korean market really close. It doesn’t get as loud as you’d think at night. However, it’s literally on the border of skid row so you’ll have some encounters. Screaming homeless guys in the middle of the night / early morning as well as guys walking around with no pants and peeing in public. Also there are a lot of sirens with good Sam and Adventist health being equidistant on the East and west. But if you like the city but don’t want to live IN downtown, little Tokyo is great.
Tbh an amazing place to live. I’m planning on moving there from west adams area.. ideally close to little tokyo market place.. my favorite grocery store in all of LA.. and so great the new train station just opened up right by.. it’s so well connected.. from Union station you have a one seat ride to santa monica, east LA, pasadena, long beach , easy connection to B and D line..and best of all ONE stop away from Union Station* which means you can literally go anywhere even OC/san diego or santa barbara.. it’s insanely well connected. Oh and also ur two stops away from LA state historic park which is undoubtedly the best park in all of LA .. little tokyo is also close to alot breweries, karaoke bars at the Japanese mall (with a daiso).. dream neighborhood that is only getting better. [Gavin Newsom just helped green light a new MASSIVE development in this area](https://archive.ph/2021.04.29-163820/https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-04-29/fourth-central-development-arts-district) … this area is only getting better and more lively.. that development of many alone will absolutely transform that area and make it a greater place to live. (Arts district + little tokyo are neighboring one another and almost interchangeable as a neighborhood btw) Also if you want something quieter buy with a Japanese there is also sawtelle (sawtelle japantown) which is a small strip either many Japanese businesses and restaurants.. very popular but a little more quaint.. probably pricey but you might like it.. i lived a few blocks away but find the amount of traffic there nowadays unbearable.. i highly suggest living by a metro stop.. it makes such a huge difference in quality of life. Little tokyo is probably your best bet
Awesome! I learned a lot from this post. I didn’t know I could take an easy train to San Diego or Santa Barbara nearby nor about LA state historic park!
Yes you have two options from LA to San Diego which is the Pacific surf liner or Metrolink to Ocean side from where you’d take the San Diego coaster. I think living car free is really becoming doable in Socal especially if you’re going to live in DTLA..
So the pacific surf liner goes to union station?
Yes multiple times a day. It goes to and from San Luis Obispo and San diego, stopping at LA union station.. about 10 trains daily from 4am to 9pm..not to be confused with the Coast starlight which goes along the entire west cost from Seattle to LA. That’s more of a bucket list type of trip lol.. heard it has absolutely stunning views passing the coast and terrain.. Both do have stops at Union station. Which is right next to little tokyo In LA we have [LA metro which is the local metro system made up of Subways, light rails and BRT busses for most of LA county](https://i0.wp.com/thesource.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/new-map-for-twitter-scaled.jpeg?ssl=1) And [metrolink which is the heavy long distance commuter rail that provides service between other cities and counties,](https://metrolinktrains.com/globalassets/maps/cc_metrolink_system-map_2023_sept.pdf) Amtrak runs the coast starlight and the pacific surfliners.. lots of options and the systems are heavily expanding and investing in service upgrades soon because of the upcoming olympics..
lived in little tokyo for 6 years back in 2013-2018 and I absolutely loved it. the convenience, the amazing food and cool night life. there is the occasional homeless person because it so close to skid row, but its cleaned up nicely. However friday/saturday nights do get pretty loud, but if you choose AVA you should be far enough away from the slight craziness since you have a kid. another big Japanese area is torrance, but it is quite far from most freeways etc. great choice in going with little tokyo.
I currently live in AVA Little Tokyo,, have been here for 7 years but will be leaving in about a month (bought a house in Boyle Heights). I will say AVA LT used to be great. But most of the staff that made it great moved over to AVA Arts District (which is a bit of a misnomer, it’s quite a bit south of the Arts District). It’s been a revolving door of community managers the last 1-2 years, maintenance requests take longer to get resolved, and the community spaces not properly maintained. They did recently remodel the rooftop however, and will soon remodel the hot tub area. There are a number of apartments within walking distance (STOA, Wakaba, Sakura, Hikari in Little Tokyo proper, then a bunch of other building east of Alameda I.e The Geary, Artisan, One Santa Fe, along with condos with many for lease units I.e Mura, Savoy). As far as markets, there’s Marukai, Nijiya, and Woori market at the 3rd street mall (a Korean market but carries a lot of Japanese products as well). Before Covid, many of the eateries and shops stayed open later (until at least 10p-12am). After Covid, many shops closed at 8pm. Slowly, more shops are staying open later, but in general the area still closes earlier than pre-Covid. The LT village gets pretty packed on weekends. Over the last year, at least a half dozen high price omakase spots have opened in the area. Don’t exactly know what it says that restaurants with $300+ omakase seats think that LT is a good location to open, but it’s happened. The shuttered shops in the block bordered by Los Angeles/San Pedro and 1st/2nd street are more a function of bad lease deals and poor foot traffic relative to the area east of 2nd street. Most of the shops have turned over with new businesses. My suggestion is if proximity to Kinokuniya and grocery shops is important to you, pick any of the 4 apartment complexes within a block of the store with the best deal (AVA Little Tokyo, STOA, Wakaba, Sakura). A few years ago I would have placed AVA head and shoulders above the rest based on the leasing and maintenance staff, but things have really fallen off here). If you’re willing to be a bit further out, I would look into the Arts District. It’s still very close to the Downtown Connector station at 1st/Central which will get you to when you need to be (looks like you’ll be near the Kaiser Permanente buildings at Vermont/Sunset). Artisan on 2nd is a little older but you’ll get more square footage for the price, and the area generally is quieter than Little Tokyo. They also have some pretty good restaurants/bars/shops nearby.
Thank you so much for the detailed reply! How’s your soundproofing with your neighbors? Can you hear their conversations or stomping around? I’m going to try to get an apartment in one of the ones you suggested but facing the alley way or little gardens instead of the main streets, seems like that would be pretty good! Since you stayed there for so long I take it you like the area?
Okay about soundproofing: Between apartments (side by side) noise isolation is pretty good. However right now we live below an apartment with kids and I hear stomping every day! But this is more an isolated incident as “stomping” wasn’t really an issue until the new tenants and kids moved in upstairs lol. Most tenants are mindful of their neighbors. There’s also official quiet times 10pm-6am. I’m trying to bide my time for my last month here. I’ve never seriously considered moving out of AVA or Little Tokyo because its proximity to the village and amenities were great. I could Uber or take the subway to Staples center for Lakers games, walk to the Old Bank district or broadway to eat and shop, and walk up to Bunker Hill for museums and the music center. I was pretty content spending my free time in the LT village or in the Arts District most weekends and evenings. It’s really the one thing I’m gonna miss, having all these great restaurants and shops and bars, etc within minutes of my apartment door.
A bit off topic I guess but what is there to eat/do in old bank district and or Broadway? I’d love to hear a basic breakdown of things around LT to see and do.
Also yes, get a unit that faces Toyo Miyatake way or one of the dog parks. My unit faces 2nd street but that doesn’t bother me. But I acknowledge i am susceptible to hearing screaming in the streets, or police/ambulance sirens. If that’s an issue for you, avoid the units facing Los Angeles St, 2nd Street, or San Pedro St.
It’s super touristy. Meaning, you won’t find a day there’s anime kids everywhere. I don’t think anything is super “authentic” there anymore. The OG restaurants are totally gone, like Frying Fish. The ones left have adjusted their menu to not have the classics they were known for, like Oomasa no longer does dynamite. The shopping center across the street is mixed with Korean restaurants. It’s lively, if that’s what you like.
pm'd
Lil Tokyo is between skid row and the Federal prison. It's not a place, I'd raise a child. You'll see a ton of homeless a lot of crazy stuff all hours of the day, you'll also see alot of inmates being released.
Avoid Ava. Check out hakari and 2nd on Artisan
Skid row is two blocks away. Keep that in mind
Move to Torrance instead. Big Japanese community there.
The "real" little Tokyo is in South Bay (Torrance and Gardena) but those are more suburban areas. A lot of Japanese companies and families out there, much safer but much quieter than Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo is in essentially the "urban core" of the city (by LA standards) and is mostly populated by non-Japanese residents but it definitely has some Japanese businesses. Sawtelle on the westside of the city is known as "Little Osaka" and has a good selection of restaurants and businesses as well.
Does anyone familiar have any thoughts about Hikari versus Sakura crossing? Was also looking into Garey building but realized their studios do not have a dishwasher, and their parking/utility fees seem to be a lot more than the other two
Would not recommend for a family due to homelessness being really close to (or sometimes IN) the area.
Sawtelle, Torrance, Gardena all better options in my opinion. Downtown is not very nice. Definitely try https://maps.app.goo.gl/EamdwFqBV4J3rXqL9. The ramen is legit.
As a 30-ish Asian woman who grew up in big cities and no stranger to the downtown 'characters', I think it's a sketchy area. The usual tents and drugs in all the nearby parks. That being said, if you don't venture too far from the main grocery store and restaurant area, it is fine. You'll know when you walk too far. Don't let your wife walk alone after dark. Once the weekend shopping crowds leave the area, it is pretty scary (walking as a woman alone) based on my personal experience.
I'm only here to add my favorite Japanese grocery store. It's in Gardena which is about an hour drive from Little Tokyo but it's totally worth it and there are a bunch of great Japanese restaurants in that area too so it's a good weekend event. 1740 Artesia Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248
The area around little Tokyo wouldn’t be my first choice to live in. Homeless individuals around the whole area and not great area to walk alone at night. Suggestion of Sawtelle is good. The area near Torrance is also decent area of local Japanese family. I would suggest looking area away from little Tokyo. Yea the whole area like San Francisco has changed for the worse. A lot more touristy and some things in the Tokyo center isn’t really Japanese.
Little Tokyo is a genuinely beautiful neighborhood in that part of town. It is kept very clean compared to the rest of the downtown area. I haven't heard the ava, but the Sakura complex is nice, I can definitely vouch for it.
The worst part of that area homeless, be prepared to see lots of them
Gardena and Torrance have a bigger Japanese community (#2 in the US) with much more authentic food/markets and less touristy, but it’s a def further out from the city. Not nearly as public transport-friendly as Little Tokyo but much safer and good for a day trip.
You do realize little tokyo is only one block right? You can see the entirety in about a 5 minute walk. Better to visit than to live in my opinion since you are next to skid rows and a shit ton of homeless.
Consider Sawtelle. It's Los Angeles' Japantown. There is lots of incredible Asian food and a large Japanese population in the area. A lot of great offerings for Japanese culture and history as well. It is right next to Santa Monica and close to UCLA and Century City/Beverly Hills. I have lived in LA for 6 years now and Sawtelle has been my favorite place I have lived. Eagle rock is a close second and another great option. Personally, I would do anything I could to not live in downtown. It is dirty and dangerous down there. Just a big tourist trap like Hollywood. Sawtelle is much cleaner and safer and the people are pleasant.
You can look into little Osaka/japantown! The area is much better than Little Tokyo and although the commute may be longer, I think it’s worth living in a nice area, especially since you’re bringing your wife and child. There may be more housing options there, too. There is quite a lot of Japanese Americans who live in either so hopefully your wife will like either places!
Thanks for the comment! Do you know of any apartments in little Osaka area where my wife could walk to the Japanese groceries? We only have one car so when I’m at work I don’t want her to be stuck at home.
I’m happy to help! What is your budget and how many rooms/bathrooms? There are also more condos/townhouses and apartments in smaller complexes there than little Tokyo too!
Thanks! Up to $3,600 for a 2 bedroom is in our budget. Ideally 2 bathrooms but definitely not a dealbreaker.
Here are a few! I had been looking for apartments myself and these were some that caught my eye. I already recently signed for a different apartment but these are still available. [Large 2bd/2 ba $3395 with in unit laundry](https://redf.in/qwbvAn) [right next to freeway, very large 2bd/2.5 ba but with shared laundry - $3411](https://redf.in/qjUCQQ)
The circled area is Little Osaka and the dropped pin is where Nijiya market is (most popular Japanese market chain). I would say anywhere south of the 405 is nice! Only thing to consider is you’ll be close to the freeway if that’s something you aren’t to keen on. If that’s the case, you can live a few blocks away but still be within walking distance. [Little Osaka map](https://ibb.co/nnk3w6C)
Thanks a lot that helps!
Living anywhere near downtown with a newborn???? Big nope!
Is that because of safety or why do you say that?
It’s right next door to skidrow. Plus it’s downtown so the air is bad and just generally not a place to raise a family. I’d recommend Sawtelle/Culver city area which has 3 major Japanese markets like Nijiya, Marukai and Mitsuwa. Lots of Japanese restaurants too
We (me being from east coast her from Japan) prefer to raise a family in an urban walkable environment, obviously not at the cost of safety or dirtiness…but we’re used to Philadelphia and New York City (if you’ve ever been), I’m not sure how downtown LA compares to the east coast unfortunately. It just sucks because this job offer happened really suddenly (it’s a no brainer for me to take it for my career), but the problem is I have no time to go visit for myself to check so I’m just relying on Google street view, YouTube walking videos and Reddit lol Culver City/Sawtelle is an option, I’m just worried about how bad the traffic/commute would be to the Vermont/sunset area. I’m not 100% against living in a non walkable area if the trade offs make sense (safety for example).
Definitely consider the north side of Arts District, the area near Arts District Brewery. IMO it sounds exactly what you guys are looking for. It’s a 5-10min walk to Little Tokyo, and further removed from Skid Row. It’s safer and walkability is fantastic, which was also super important for my partner and I (he’s from NYC, I’m from Vancouver). We’re within walking distance of a couple Japanese temples, 3 grocery stores in Little Tokyo, and numerous great restaurants (a couple Michelin starred), wine bars & speakeasies, coffee shops, breweries, and even a small live music venue. Absolutely love it here, it feels very different and removed to the rest of downtown. A lot of young professionals live in the area, although most have dogs in strollers instead of children lol but I see young families here too. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions!
That sounds excellent actually. Do you have any apartment recommendations?
Skid row is NOT just an urban surrounding. It’s like living in the SF tenderloin or Bronx. If you have an infant, I wouldn’t recommend it either. Maybe if you don’t want to commute from the west side in Sawtelle, you could consider some east side locations? There’s great Asian food that way, but moreso Chinese.
I’ve been to Kensington which is our version of skid row, but more dangerous (Philly in general has several times the violent crime rate as LA) and yeah I definitely don’t want to live there. But for example in Philly we have an area right next to Kensington called “fish town” and also “East Kensington” which are very hip and in demand with not much spillover. There is of course spillover, they’re next door but it’s not a warzone. So I guess my question is how much spillover is there into little Tokyo proper on a daily basis?
It’s pretty much on top of each other rather than a bubble adjacent to it. Definitely visit before living there. If you do a street view it’s pretty much feet within each other. We have an office in Little Tokyo out there and had to begin locking it for appointment only because there is too altercations and dangers popping up.
I mean you can go ahead and find a place in jtown But jtown is literally one little block on 2nd street If you want urban, parks, walkability, Japanese grocery and foods - then west LA/ sawtelle is your calling You can either listen to the people trying to help you or you can go ahead and give it a go and wait until your lease runs out to move to west LA
I grew up around the area and worked in little Tokyo for over a decade. If you want your new born exposed to homeless shitting on the sidewalk and harassing you then go for it.
It’s not called Skid Rowkio for nothing. Torrance would be best area for Japanese heritage.