Ninomiya Kinjiro

Just a glance (:

Fugetsudo

A really old looking store, but I didn't go inside. Haha, apparently it was the first place to create the Fortune Cookie!

Koyasan Buddhist Temple

It was hard to find because it was "hidden", hehe :P Overall it had beautiful architecture and really made me feel the culture of Japan.

Go For Broke Monument

The Go For Broke monument looked really patriotic. Like the Ellison Onizuka monument, I felt a strong sense of pride at that moment.

Japanese American National Museum

We took a group picture in front of this museum but I don't have it): It looks really elegant from the outside!

The Frying Fish

It's a rotating sushi bar! Sadly, our group didn't eat there because not everyone agreed about prices and what not. -____- the food on the display window looked amazing though.

Tokyo Japanese Outlet

This store didn't allow us to take pictures inside ): But there's a store like this in the Brea Mall, so I wasn't particularly excited. However, it had the cutest stuff inside ^^

Mikawaya Ice Cream Shop

 Doraemon sodas?

 Judy and Karen (:

Oh my goodness, the mochi here looked soo adorable! But it was a dollar..each. Haha. I would've gotten ice cream, but again, I was too cheap to spend money. It was a really cute store with really interesting pastries and food. I'm definitely coming back here.

Rafu Bussan

This store was really interesting. I expected it to be a store with just plates and pottery, no big deal. But if you go in the back of the store it has SO many cool Japanese antiques and decorations there. I could've spent more time taking pictures but there were too many things to look at. Here are some:

Weller Court

So this plaza was actually really cool. Most of the stores were closed but it was fun running up and down the stairs, haha. This is where Kinokukiya Book Store was and the Marukai Market. I wouldn't mind spending more time here. It seems like a cool place to just hang out with friends.(:

 Cool wall decoration, hehe :D

Marukai Market

So, this store was actually really regular which I didn't expect it to be. It reminded me of any 99 Ranch. But that's just the food merchandise. The actual items were weird. Hehe.

 Paper Hats.

 DOMO! :D

 These strange doll statues that I saw everywhere!

Haha, it was a Sony player thingymabob that was showing commercials about feet(:

SK Uyeda Department Store

I only got a glance of the outside ): it was closed.

Jungle Collector's Items

Okay, so there were two "Jungle" stores in Little Tokyo. One just sold action figures, which I'm not in to, but the other one was soooooo amazing! It sold everything I've ever wanted about anime. It was like...heaven. We went there at the end of the trip so we didn't get to spend much time there. We were all rushing and everything ): I also wish I had more money so I could buy EVERYTHING in that store. Haha, but that didn't stop me and Mira from getting our first scrolls O:

Various Foods from Various Restaurants.

All of these look soooo frickin' good. Too bad they're fake (I think). And most of the stores were closed anyway. I tried taking pictures of the more "cultural" foods and not the ones that I could find anywhere.

Kinokukiya Book Store

Dude, this place is where I bought my first Shonen Jump. It was a Naruto Shonen Jump by the way. When I went inside, I wanted to buy sooo many CD's and t-shirts, and books and just AGHH. I wish I brought more money. I would buy that whole store.

Imagawaraki Misturu Cafe!

Sadly all the Misturu cafes were closed ): I don't have a clear opinion of it, but it looked nice!

Kyoto Grand Hotel and Rooftop Gardens.

Our Reactions...

So, this place was extremely random. While exploring the gardens on the upper level of Weller Court, me and my friend Almira decided to take the elevator down instead of the stairs. We got inside the elevator and assumed it would go down but it wasn't moving. Then we realized we didn't press a floor button. So after freaking out we pressed the bottom most floor. After the doors of the elevator opened we ended up in some random hotel. It was all red with lush furniture and it was pretty empty. After freaking out some more, me and Almira decided we should just walk outside the doors and be right back to Weller Court. But noooooooo. It lead to some stupid at street that lead nowhere in particular. So we went back up the elevator and down the stairs to Weller Court.      -______-
Haha, the end.

Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple

This Buddhist temple was extremely quiet and peaceful, I felt like I wasn't allowed to talk in it...or even breathe. The decorations were really pretty and it just seemed so perfect. I was glad it was open for us to tour because it showed so much art and culture.

Japanese American Community Cultural Center - Japanese Garden

This was another favorite of my trip. It consisted of beautiful plants, bridges, waterfalls, and rivers. It felt strange to know that just outside, there was an apartment building. It felt like Narnia, a secret place where you could hide from the bustling city. I wish I could've taken more pictures here ): it makes me wanna go back.

Ellison Onizuka Monument

In Weller Court, we came across Ellison Onizuka's monument. On the top there was supposed to be a space shuttle, however they took it off to refurbish it. I found it inspiring how a community could look up to a national hero.

Yagura - Japanese Village Plaza

 

Yagura was a really modern but traditional place. It was basically my favorite part of the whole trip because of all the pretty stores and good-smelling food. It was disappointing that all the stores were closed and that we weren't allowed to take pictures at some of them.