Delicious Little Tokyo fest set to return

Little Tokyo's rich food heritage will be celebrated with a festival that puts the spotlight on the 140-year-old neighborhoods' iconic restaurants.

The Delicious Little Tokyo celebration returns May 4 with guided tours of some of the downtown Los Angeles district's longest-standing restaurants as well as self-guided tours that include food specials.

“We want people to come out and get to try things in the neighborhood, whether they've been here a hundred times and are trying things they love or something they never had. It's just a nice day to explore, eat different things and support small businesses,” said Kisa Ito, the project director for the Little Tokyo Community Council, which organized the event.

The main event will be the $45-perperson Food History Tour of Little Tokyo, which will be guided by members of the Little Tokyo Historical Society.

When: Where:

Participants will get a history lesson on some of the oldest small businesses and food spots, including places like Fugetsu-Do, a Japanese mochi and manju confectionery that opened in 1903 where people can sample green tea manju. Other stops include Mitsuru Cafe, which serves Japanese comfort dishes like oyakodon, teriyaki and the hard-to-find imagawayaki, a dessert that resembles a thick waffle stuffed with bean paste.

“They'll learn about some of the businesses that made what Little Tokyo is today and the foods that are relevant to the stories of Little Tokyo,” Ito said.

Food lovers can also strike out on their own with a pair of self-guided tasting tours that for $65 each will offer food deals at several restaurants. One is the somewhat hidden Far Bar, where tour takers can grub on spicy wasabi fries. Another is Mitsuru Sushi and Grill, where people will be served yakisoba and chicken teriyaki bento.

For people who enjoy libations, there will be workshops where attendees can learn about drinks at places like Wolf & Crane, 366 E. Second St. The bar will host an introduction to whiskey for $40 per person, while Peking Tavern, 236 S. Los Angeles St., will host a course on baijiu, a centuries-old Asian spirit. Tickets for the baijiu tasting are also $40.

And there will be things for kids to do as well, at the Kodomo no Hi (Children's Day) Celebration at Isamu Noguchi Plaza, 244 S. San Pedro St., and the Children's Arts & Culture Festival at Terasaki Budokan, 249 S. Los Angeles St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both events are happening in conjunction with Delicious Little Tokyo and are free to attend.

DELICIOUS LITTLE TOKYO May 4 Locations throughout Los Angeles' Little Tokyo Tickets: littletokyola.org