I came to Little Tokyo before during Nisei Week but I never attended the actual parade. It was a goal this year and I am glad I was able to make it. It takes about 2 hours of fun from 4-6 in the afternoon, in the middle of Little Tokyo, the streets are closed and there are many points and streets around to watch it from. Bring a chair if you can, or at least water and grab a shady spot. The parade is great! Fun, colorful, lots of graceful dancers, nice Japanese traditions, huge floats, cool cars, a bit of everything. Nice and diverse, never boring! Local personalities (David Ono was the Grand Marshall), politicians, anime characters walking around! Lots of places to grab food before and after. Free event! Worth coming it to see at least once! One of those things you need to LA! read more

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I always like coming to Nisei week. I remember coming since I was a little kid. And this year was no exception. I really enjoy all the different floats and events and booths that they have. Including all the regular businesses and things to see and do at the regular little Tokyo. One thing I enjoy the best is that the big events are held on Sundays and street parking is always free on Sundays. Sometimes if I'm running late I end up having to park closer into skid row which is a little sketchy. But I think being inside little Tokyo makes it all worth it. It's always clean and fun and it feels really safe. read more

Nisei Week Parade - Local Flavor Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is first time I've seen the parade held during Nisei Week. It wasn't too crowded, but a bit of advice... bring your own travel chairs for convenience. The parade is quite long; it took more than an hour. The performers move very slow and they take almost 30 minutes just for all the sponsors, police, and politicians. I think the best part of the parade was seeing the World War II Japanese American Veterans wearing their uniforms and matching; most of them are over 80. The floats are quite creative, there were quite a few performers, and you simply can't complete a Japanese Parade without Taiko. read more

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What a fun time I had at Nisei Week! I went on Sunday, took the metro from home (green line to the blue line to the red line to the gold line) but finally I made it to little Tokyo and met my Sasquatch along the way at Union Station. We had a great time at this festival throughout the day there was a lot of food tastings, beer drinking and activities to enjoy. The foods we tried: Takoyaki: these were doughy balls of flour with octopus on the inside. It was completely different from anything I've tasted before, The texture was very gooey and mushy, the flavor was pretty good. I enjoyed my squishy balls...ate about 5 of them. They were 8 balls for $5, come on now those are some cheap balls! Oh and just a warning, these balls come HOT! They should have a "caution" sign! HOT BALLS!!!! Far Bar: had the chicken yakitori and beef tacos for $5, I liked the chicken yakitori, but was not a big fan of the soggy beef taco. Kogi is way better. Dango: One of the booths were selling dango which are fried doughy balls with powdered sugar. Sort of like a donut. This booth was right next to dogzilla and while waiting in the dogzilla line, I saw balls and couldn't resist. These were 4 balls for $3 and they were pretty decent size fried balls. Very tastey. http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/O4d_TmeqLy5SkVIhou7Xtg/l Dogzilla: the line was long, but it was worth it. $6 for the dogzilla! Beef hot dog with avocado, japanese mayo, bacon bits, and bits of nori. It was delicious. http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/pUF1OfA_6pDDjKfWk4V9TQ/l We enjoyed some $4 Kirins at the beer garden and had great conversations with a 90 something year old Japanese man who was telling us stories of when he was a chairman for Nisei week. It was cool to listen to all his stories, this old man kicked ass. http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/xAgjn5_rSav3TToIvTtrOg/l Then we found a little beverage stand that was having happy hour and had kirins for $1! So we loaded up on those as well. http://media1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/4APh1lvUW-AUc_u6--DtBg/l We went through all the booths, and stayed till the parade!! I was happy to see Kip Fulbeck, He's the author of 100% Hapa and a professor at UCSB. He has an exhibition going on at the Japanese American National Museum right now, which reminds me that I need to check it out. I enjoyed his book very much, which were portraits of mixed asians and answers of "who are you". Overall, I enjoyed the food, the martial arts exhibit, the booths, the beer, the culture, the kimonos, the people dressed in anime characters and all the different types of balls I tasted!! Until next year Nisei week! read more

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Parade in Little Toyko with pageant queens and her court, Masa on his firetruck, Huell Howser hopping out of his convertible car to greet people, and colorful, gorgeous, lit up parade float. See pics. This is from the official website: "TORO" floating is still one of the most impressive and beautiful sights during the summer nights of the Japanese festivals. On the final night, "toro" floating in accompanied by a large display of colorful fireworks. This is said to be the origin of the Nebuta Festival. Gradually these floats grew in size, as did the festivities, until they are the large size they are now. Today the Nebuta floats are made of a wood base, carefully covered with this same Japanese paper, beautifully colored, and lighted from the inner part with hundreds of light bulbs. In early August the colorful floats are pulled through the streets accompanied by people dancing in native Nebuta costumes, playing tunes on flutes and drums." They could have more lit up floats, but overall it was a really fun time. Lots of pople milling about before and after in the Little Toyko plaza where there are a lot of cute shops and restaurants. Traffic was a little heavy on certain streets cause cars were rerouted. Parking wasn't too bad, we found a free parking lot after a few minutes off of 1st Street, near Vignes. read more

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The Nisei Week Parade has been going in for many years now. Being a Japanese American, I've always enjoyed going to a parade that exemplifies the spirit of the Japanese community. During the parade you'll see various taiko and odori (traditional Japanese dance) groups, various council members or celebrities and honoring Japanese American veterans. The whole parade lasts around 3 hours. I typically go early to save a spot. I recommend bringing along some snacks, drinks and chairs. During this event many of the restaurants and shops around the area offer discounts on many of the products. I honestly think this event is the busiest time of the year for all the businesses. Some of the restaurant that I'd recommend are: Sushi Gen (sushi), Suehiro Cafe (traditional Japanese food), Daikokuya or Shinsengumi (ramen), Fu-Ga Izakaya (small Japanese plates/bar). Most of these places will probably be pretty busy, but you can always call ahead to see the wait time. This event is a great way to learn about the Japanese community. Definitely check it out next year and support the local businesses! read more

Had the opportunity to head down to Nisei Week's Grand Parade this year, and I had a blast.. The parade was a lot longer than I remember -- it lasted about 2hrs or so? Regardless, it was still a fun experience. I've been to a few parades and countless Nisei Week events, and I'm still surprised by the number of people this event draws out. Being Japanese it makes me proud to see my culture represented to this magnitude in Los Angeles and for that many people to take interest in the Japanese culture. If you've never been to Nisei Week or its Grand Parade, it's quite an experience and I recommend anyone to attend at least once, especially if they take an interest in the Japanese culture. I took a few pictures this year (just a few) and posted them up on this Yelp page... just to give people an idea of what the parade is all about. Nisei Week in itself is SOOO much more since there is SOOO much more to see in the surrounding venues/neighborhoods where the festival also takes place. read more

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Had the honor of cruising in the Parade this past weekend w/ the Import ShowOff cars. Was quite an experience. Lots of people lined up and cheering! Would definately do it again if I'm invited next year! read more

Nisei Week Parade - Local Flavor Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I am really excited about this year's Nisei week festival. It will be their 71st, and because of the Tohoku Earthquake, there will be MORE local business and Japanese people involved in this event to promote the culture and raise funds to send to Japan. The best way to enjoy this event is - START EARLY. I usually go to the Grand Parade (2nd Sunday) around 3 PM, to park (patience... patience .. and little bit of luck needed), eat ( there are many street venders and local restaurants offering Nisei week special menus), check out several exhibitions or shows at the Plaza on 2nd and San Pedro, and then secure the spot to watch the parade. The parade starts on the 1st Street near the Japanese American Museum - and finish on the 2nd Street near Los Angeles St. So... by the time they are near the finish line, many performers are kind of exhausted. Thus, I recommend you to stay on the 1st St. Warning: The parade used to start at 1 PM. Since the Nebuta light floats got to participate, now the parade starts at 5 or 5:30 PM. SO... dress warm. Also, the closing ceremony is a Street BON odori Dance - 3rd Sunday. ANYONE can participate and they offer free classes in japanese American center plaza a month before the festival. So check their calendar if you want to learn how to dance as well. If you have a kimono or summer yukata, bring it on!!! If you are Anime fan, it is totally accepted to dress coplay-ish. Hope to see u there! read more

Didn't know there was a whole separate review on the Nisei Week Parade. I've gone to the parade the last two years. I liked it so much last year I had to come back this year. This last one was extra special because they had a Aomori nebuta. The aomori nebutas rarely leave Japan and this one was made especially for the Nisei Week Parade and Los Angeles. The nebuta is of the warlord Takeda Shingen. Who actually happens to be portrayed in a taiga that's currently playing,Fuurinkazen. The creator said part of the reason he did Takeda was his flag uses kanji and while touring Los Angeles he saw how people liked kanji. read more

This year's Nisei Week Grand Parade was fantastic! I was walking in the Parade (representing the Okinawa Association of America), so I got to see the entire Parade route. There were some sections with small groups of people and then there were sections that were crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder. I'm really glad that the Nisei Week Grand Parade continues to be a strong event in the Japanese American community and that it represents Japan for all of its individual and unique prefectures - from traditional to contemporary, from Hokkaido to Okinawa (instead of being a generalized, one-sided look at Japanese culture). Otsukaresama to everybody who participated in another great Parade! read more

Where else in Los Angeles are you going to see a week long cultural event like this? This event is not so packed that you hate life, but also packed to the point that it gives off good energy and a great vibe! The best part is people from all backgrounds and all ages participate in the parade. You'll see everything from Taiko drummers, old police cars, military veterans, Import Cars, Nisei Week court, traditional dancers,and traditional clothes throughout the parade. The street sides are usually filled so plan on standing the entire time if you come late. If you get there early you can sit on the curb or bring some beach chairs. The parade was about 2 hours long start to finish. read more

I caught the tail end of the parade last summer, I hadn't been to it in years. It was a lot of fun, and a good reminder how crazy my people are. It brought back memories of the Crenshaw carnival back when I was a kid, which was the absolute highlight of the year for me back then. read more

If you plan on coming here, get ready for some RIDICULOUS crowds, and some parking prices that border on extortion. Crowds and empty wallets aside, though, this is a wonderful event for those who love all things Japan. Amidst the ocean of people decked in summer clothing and flip flops, one can see a colorful array of women dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, and huge, beautiful lanterns hanging everywhere. I even saw some people in cosplay. How cool is that!? There are also several performances that go with this event, it being a parade and all. However, my favorite part about this event is, of course, the food. I'm not big on Sushi, which is the ever-popular Japanese fare, but I do love their sweets. And they can be found everywhere in Little Tokyo. During Nisei Week, though, one can find even more special treats that can't be found throughout the rest of the year. So, stock up while you can. And if shopping is your thing, several of the shops remain open, even during the events. If you can manage to squeeze in there, or go extremely early, it's definitely worth going to. read more

The Nisei Week Grand Parade for 2014 is held on 8-1-2014 4pm to 7pm. I am not able to go but I'm watching the parade live on TV. It is on ch18-2. Yeah... read more

Things to Bring (While Waiting for Parade) 1) Cash - You may want to buy dinner, snacks or drinks while waiting (small bills) 2) Camera, phone with camera, video camera, extra batteries 3) Snacks and/or dinner to pass time 4) Drinks: water, juice, napkins, small plastic trash bag 5) Book, magazines 6) Kids: electronics 7) Blankets for Parade (it will get cold) 8) Fold up Chairs for Parade or sit on curb (bring something to sit on) 9) Hats and hand fans, sunglasses, sunscreen (put on before waiting) 10) Sweaters and/or coats 11) Comfortable shoes (walking alot) 12) binoculars 13) Map of parade route 14) Information of all activities before Parade to see 15) More information go to Japanese-city.com 16) Best seating is in front of the Parade Commentators which is on the east side on the middle of First Street where the audio equipment is installed on the west side of the street. I found that out last year. 17) They sell the T-shirts for the Nisei Week Parade while you wait on the curb read more

This year's parade started later than usual (5p.) and didn't conclude til almost 9:30p. That been said, over 200 bands, groups, dancers marched the streets of Little Tokyo. Queen and courts from Hawaii, Seattle, San Francisco, 2008 and the new court all appeared. read more