Little Tokyo, a historic Japanese American community in downtown Los Angeles, California, has roots that go back well over one hundred years when Japanese immigrants lived and worked there as a haven from racism and a place where they could find companionship and camaraderie. Though few Japanese Americans live there today, it retains a strong Japanese American character even after three or four American-born generations, and even though the majority of Japanese Americans share other ancestries as well.

In Little Tokyo, one finds a handful of businesses that date back to the pre-World War II era, as well as many run by post-war immigrants from Japan. There are also Japanese American cultural institutions, ranging from churches to a museum and a theater company. It is a gathering place that draws diverse groups of Japanese Americans from throughout Southern California.

Separated by generation, by racial/ethnic ancestry, religion, geography and other measures, what holds this diverse ethnic community together today? This module helps answer this question by offering a general overview of Japanese Americans in the United States, spanning from their arrival to today.