Culture In Little Tokyo

Register to read the introduction… In essence, it is important to remember global origins to achieve community action. This was one of the earliest realizations of the Japanese Americans, for they began in 1986 to try and preserve part of Little Tokyo through community action. It was the Little Tokyo Community Development Advisory Committee that campaigned and established Little Tokyo’s historical district on East First Street. Some of the oldest Japanese American businesses in the country are on First Street, and so the rich culture plays a big role in establishing a sense of community in Little Tokyo. (“The Paradox of Dispersal”, Dean S. Toji and Karen Umemoto) Local policymakers wanted to make sure that despite whatever happens, there would always be a Japanese influence in Los Angeles. It takes global customs and similar interests to create a common movement for …show more content…
There is no place for children to run and play, and the public school system in Little Tokyo is suffering partly due to this lack of green space. These students and the members of the community deserve a public park rather than having to congregating in open space in the built environment. They have to be creative in their urban land use in accommodation for nature in the neighborhood by not only focusing on environmental scales but also the built environment. (“The Face of Little Tokyo Is Changing” by Valentina Cardenans and Gayle …show more content…
Basketball is deeply rooted in Japanese American history with leagues starting up as early as the 1930s. Basketball is more than a sport in the Japanese American community; it’s a way of life. After fourteen year of struggling for the rights to build the 35,000 square foot fifteen million dollar center, the Little Tokyo Service Center was approved to start developing the old parking structure. For the Japanese American community members, this development was as much of a push for recreational space as it was to protect Little Tokyo's cultural identity and economic stability because it was seen as the best way to invite the Japanese American youth community back into Little Tokyo. This new development builds community by organizing over 10,000 residents in leagues and tournaments. With the gentrification of many Japanese American families the true importance of this development was clear. Through the basketball leagues, the Japanese Americans continue to connect with the history and culture of Little Tokyo once again. (“At Long Last, Little Tokyo to Get Its Gym” by Teresa Watanabe) The leagues can lead to a further sense of reestablished community and the influx of many Japanese Americans back into Little