2024 - Annual Sawtelle Japantown Celebration (A Vibrant Celebration Honoring Japanese Culture with Community Events and Festivities) Feb. 16-25, 2024NEW

Established in 2018, Sawtelle Japantown Celebration is back again as an annual not-for-profit grassroots community event to celebrate the anniversary of February 25, 2015, when Los Angeles City Council officially recognized the petition request from the West Los Angeles community to rename the area Sawtelle Japantown-to join Little Tokyo, San Francisco and San Jose as one of four remaining Japantowns in the United States. Sawtelle Japantown Celebration is a vital reminder of the important need to appreciate the history and legacy of a longstanding ethnic minority community.

Since its establishment in 2018, Sawtelle Japantown Celebration (SJC) continues to grow and celebrate community-from Sawtelle, Little Tokyo, Santa Monica, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Mar Vista, Culver City, Del Rey, East Los Angeles, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Torrance and Gardena.

Students from Nora Sterry Elementary School and LAUSD’s first Japanese Dual Immersion Program in Region West contributed to the design of the SJC 2023 banner that is now their legacy to the community and is currently on display at Hashimoto Nursery on Sawtelle Blvd.

Sawtelle Japantown Celebration 2024 merchants continue the community appreciation and celebration of our Front-Liner workers-firefighters, police and police staff, and medical workers.

This year’s 10-day Celebration begins Friday, February 16 and includes Japantown Lectures presented by UCLA Research Professor Paul Ong and UCLA graduate students Aliya Glatt, Xinyuan Li, Leo Wing and Haiyi Zheng followed by a Special Giveaway, The Spin Giveaways at Nijiya Market Sawtelle on Saturday, February 24 and at Marukai West Los Angeles on Sawtelle Japantown’s 9th Anniversary on Sunday, February 25 and sees the return of the Mini Cream Puff Giveaway on Sunday, February 25.

Sawtelle Japanestown Dates
Feb 16 - 25, 2024

Locations
Various: The List PDF updated: 2-16-2024


February 16 - 25, 2024
SJC 2024 Merchant Promotions
Multiple locations
Merchant promotions require a paper or digital version of SJC 2024’s The List that can be accessed via the QR code or at https://SawtelleJTown.org . Special Front-Liner promotions for police, firefighters and medical workers also require ID and The List.

Saturday, February 17, 2024, 1:30 - 3 pm *The lectures will be followed by a Special Giveaway.
SJC 2024 Japantown Lectures - "No Filming/recording allowed."
LAFD Station #59 Training Facility Community Room
2117 Butler Avenue @ Mississippi Avenue

“Before and After Internment”
Presented by UCLA Research Professor Paul Ong
Director, UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Presentation of the Japantown project on Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco in collaboration with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.

“Founding a Japantown: Historical Analysis of Zoning and Redlining in Sawtelle”
(A Group Collaboration by UCLA Graduate Students Aliya Glatt, Xinyuan Li, Leo Wing and Haiyi Zheng)
Presented by Aliya Glatt and Leo Wing
The presentation will be an overview of historic spatial designations of the Sawtelle neighborhood and its effects on the economic, political, and demographic development of the area.

Saturday, February 24, 2024 - 11:00 am
SJC 2024 The Spin
Nijiya Market Sawtelle (storefront) - Only while giveaways last.
2130 Sawtelle Blvd.
Present a SJC 2024 Merchant/Community Friend receipt for a minimum $10 purchase dated February 16-24, 2024 for a giveaway prize. *Security present and no cash prizes.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 - 11:00 am
SJC 2024 The Spin
Marukai West Los Angeles (storefront) - Only while giveaways last.
12121 Pico Blvd.
Present a SJC 2024 Merchant/Community Friend receipt for a minimum $10 purchase dated February 16-25, 2024 for a giveaway prize. *Security present and no cash prizes.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 - 10:00 am to 12 Noon ONLY
SJC 2024 Mini Cream Puff Giveaway
Beard Papa’s Sawtelle, 2130 Sawtelle Blvd.
FREE Mini cream puff with a SJC 2024 flyer. Limit 1 per person per flyer.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 - 12 Noon - 8 pm
Cinefile Video, 11280 Santa Monica Blvd. @ Sawtelle Blvd.
Japanese film showings from 12 Noon to 8 pm   

See Cherry Blossom Events

Cherry Blossom Tree Locations  Map

Title
Sawtelle Japantown 9th Anniversary Birthday Celebration Event - SJC 2024 (Celebration: Feb. 16-25, 2024)