Little Tokyo is gearing up for one of its biggest traditions of the year. Nisei Week Japanese Festival returns August 15–23, marking its 84th year as one of the longest-running cultural festivals in the country. Across two back-to-back weekends, the neighborhood fills up with taiko drumming, ondo dancing, cultural exhibits, festival food, and performances celebrating Japanese American history and culture. Here’s a breakdown of the best things on the calendar.
Opening weekend kicks off with cars, culture, and a brand-new carnival
The festival opens Saturday, August 15, from 1–6pm at Nishi Hongwanji Temple with the Deko Car Show and Anime Marketplace, featuring anime-themed JDM cars (itasha), an artist alley, and pop-culture vendors. That same weekend, August 15–16 from 11am–4pm, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) hosts cultural exhibits covering bonsai, ikebana, tea ceremony, and calligraphy.
Sunday adds a brand-new event to the mix: JX Matsuri, taking over Weller Court from 11am–4pm. Inspired by the historic Nisei Week Carnival, it’s a carnival-style celebration of Japanese entertainment, food, and pop culture, complete with festival games like a ping pong ball scoop and a fortune cookie wheel.
Nisei Week Grand Parade and more
The festival’s centerpiece hits Sunday, August 16, from 4–6pm, running along 1st and 2nd Streets between San Pedro and Central. Expect traditional dancers, taiko drummers, the massive nebuta lantern float, and the newly crowned Nisei Week Queen and Court.
Things pick back up August 21–22 at 7:30pm, when the David Henry Hwang Theater hosts Crazy Talented Asians, an AAPI talent showcase curated by AJ Rafael and honoring actor Jon Jon Briones. That same weekend, August 22–23 from 11am–4pm, JACCC Plaza hosts the Plaza Festival, bringing live entertainment, shopping, games, and Japanese food, beer, and sake. Also on Saturday, August 22, from 1–4pm, Terasaki Budokan hosts the Karate Exhibition & Tournament, recognized as the oldest annual karate tournament in the U.S.
The festival winds down Sunday, August 23, starting with a Taiko Gathering at JACCC Plaza from 11am–4pm, featuring drum groups from across Southern California. The celebration wraps with the Closing Ceremony & Street Ondo, an all-ages street dance party running 4–8pm on 1st Street.
Nearly all events are free and open to the public — full details at niseiweek.org.
