Time travel to 1968 as you cross Japan Center's indoor wooden bridges, with maneki-neko (cat figurines) waving welcome from restaurant entryways. Hard to believe, but this kawaii-cute mall started with a knock-down fight.
After WWII, 1500 Japantown residents returned from incarceration camps were again uprooted to build a mall. But residents and businesses rallied, converting the mall into a community hub.
From Manga to Ukiyo-E
Entire afternoons disappear at Kinokuniya Books, between stunning art books (Daido Moriyama photography), tempting cookbooks (bento box lunches) and toys (smiling sushi plushies) – plus manga comics and Tokyo street-fashion mags. Across the hall, Kinokuniya's office and school supplies promise to make work and studying more fun – slow down with sloth-themed to-do lists and reward homework with panda-donut stickers. On Japan Center's indoor pedestrian bridge, stop at Tokaido Arts (tokaidoarts.com; free) to see a major collection of original ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints) in mint condition – including Hokusai's sublime views of Mt Fuji, still vibrant over 200 years later.
All-Ages Entertainment
Vampire kittens and Alice in Wonderland characters occasionally roam the halls of the Japan Center, queuing politely for anime-themed photo booths and arcade games. Cosplay costumes could signal a festival, anime event or pop-up art mart – or just a typical Japan Center Saturday. Follow sounds of familiar tunes into Festa karaoke lounge (festalounge.com; age 21+), where you too can rock the miniature stage for $2 per song plus liquid courage from yuzu shochu cocktails.
