Comments on: little tokyo losing a giant: mitsuwa closing january 25th

By: chris

chris — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:40:05 +0000

The picture of the new building look awesome! Very modern and chic. Even though Japanese are whining about how Little Tokyo should be preserved, it seriously needs a makeover. It looks like a dump. Koreans are doing Japanese a huge favor by buying the building and renovating to an awesome place. Now I wouldn’t feel embarrassed to show my guests to this newly renovated place.

By: laurel fujisawa

laurel fujisawa — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:47:38 +0000

Sad for LA. The Mitsuwa is alive and well in the Midwest Chicago region. The Super H- Mart thrives as well. Go figure?

By: N/A

N/A — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:05:08 +0000

Hate to see this happen. Koreans taking over.

By: Edward

Edward — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:41:36 +0000

Whoa, hold on there Rose… I wouldn’t say that the conversion of a little over one square mile of territory in Los Angeles is “pay back” by any stretch of the imagination for 40 years of rape, murder and pillage.

This is completely a separate issue of Korean Americans moving into an area that is suffering declining demographics of Japanese Americans. Let’s not mix the two, okay?

Although I have met older Japanese who turn their noses up when they learn that I’m a “chozen jin” or “kan ku koo jin” all the younger Japanese I’ve met have been nothing but accepting and nice towards me.

By: thirsty99

thirsty99 — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:37:38 +0000

i was also shocked by the differences when I entered after their re-opening. I’ve been back weekly since opening day, but there are many products they simply don’t know how to purchase or don’t have access to. They have organized the place a bit better and made an effort to hire some japanese staff and stock a few japanese products, but they are limited to the few japanese products you can find in any korean supermarket. i used to go there specifically to buy Japanese bottled drinks like Oolong Tea, Milk Tea and Iced Coffee. these are apparently not carried by their Korean supplier. i would be much more likely to go to K-town to buy korean groceries, rather than Little tokyo, just as i would go to monterey park if was was cooking a chinese dish and needed Chinese ingredients.

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:21:30 +0000

Q: Is Little Tokyo annexed by Koreatown, the rematch a century in the making? A: It’s about time.
If the Japanese were so intent on keeping it Japanese, why didn’t THEY buy the building? Or, sell it at a lower price to Japanese investors? It IS business and the Japanese are just as greedy as anyone else. Get a grip. This wouldn’t be as huge of an issue if some “white” developers had bought it up. AND Btw, I’ve been to MANY Japanese stores and was treated with curt answers, disdain, suspicion and whispers in Japanese because I was not of their race. While I notice that when Japanese enter the store they are gregarious in their demeanor. I for one am lining up when they open their new stores and make something of that dead mall. When I was there, it was full of “dead” handbag, apparel and arcade game stores. Where are the Japanese? Theyve deserted the mall and have hopefully learned a valuable lesson. Let the Koreans do what they do best — make things better and more importantly, make things happen.

And btw, to Edward a HUGE nod to his comment #52. It’s ironic to think that my mother and grandmother, recall those days when the Japanese ran all over South Korea in the 1950’s torturing and perscuting the people to make Korean territory their own, are now in 2009 being “run” out of what they thought was their own “territory”. Pay-back is painful.

By: Stephen Wright

Stephen Wright — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:41:47 +0000

At first, It didn’t feel right what I was seeing. The plaza seeemed to be a bit run down. I hadn’t been there in about 3 years (I apologize) The place has taken on a 3rd world precense. Leaky fountains, plenty of empty stores and those that were open were suffering and cheesy. It wasn’t until my nose hit the former Yaohan that I realized I was in the carcas of a Japanese market. It is now Korean. Nowhere does the signs does it say “KOREAN” The largest store in Little Tokyo NOW is Korean. it’s predending to be Japanese (their new name doesn’t give a clue) like alot of the Sushi restaurants around town. WTF!!!!!

By: Edward

Edward — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:05:49 +0000

I don’t know. A part of me think’s it’s poetic justice. 10 years ago my mother walked into a Little Tokyo shop looking at blankets and fabrics. My mother is very fair skinned and has been told that she looks Japanese, more so than the typical Korean lady. The owner of the shop assumed that she was Japanese and spoke disparagingly on how “those smelling garlic eaters” are moving in. Needless to say my mom was very offended and never went back to that shop again.

A lot of Japanese think they are better than Koreans. A part of me likes the fact that at least this once they are the ones eating humble pie.

This is no knock on Japanese people as a whole. I like Japanese culture and lord knows I use a lot of Japanese products. But I find that the older and more traditional Japanese I’ve run accross have a passive and subtle belief they are better than the average Asian.

By: Juichi

Juichi — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:57:13 +0000

I will preface this by saying that I go to Little Tokyo frequently. Since I’ve been out of work I’m there even more often.

Every weekend the Mitsuwa would have lines of people buying groceries. Sometimes they were small amounts, but more so I would find people buying more than 20 items. The week is more quiet, but to say that the Mitsuwa didn’t do business and that the only business they did was from tourists is a horrible miconception. I would guess that most tourist don’t even discover the plaza that Mitsuwa is in because it’s a block away, seperated by housing.

From what I’ve heard rents were being raised, but since that plaza gets little foot traffic due to its location, a lot of businesses will either have to get out, raise their prices, or suck it up in hopes that the plaza will get more business with the changes.

I am okay with there being a Korean market in Little Tokyo, but to see a Japanese market that has been there for years be replaced by a Korean market saddens me. I will shop less at this market than if it was still Mitsuwa. I will go shop at Marukai and Nijiya, so that they don’ go out of business and get replaced by Korean markets too.

We can’t be angry at Koreans. They are just coming to Little Tokyo to make business. Hopefully they will help the area and not convert it into a Korean area. We can be angry with the Japanese who have abandoned Little Tokyo. There are still some Japanese people out there who are fighting to keep the Japanese spirit alive in Little Tokyo. They need to get more people together to make it work. Unfortunately the economy isn’t going to help the situation.

There still are many Japanese businesses in Little Tokyo that are either Japanese owned or run. Unfortunately it’s hard for these businesses to find Japanese people to work in their businesses.

By: Kousuke

Kousuke — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:13:31 +0000

I love Little Tokyo and what it stands for. I enjoyed my time when my family can walk in Mitsuwa Market and find everything we loved. I am a bit overwhelmed by my discovery of part my childhood is already gone. I have to confess that I am greatly saddened by the declining of the area. But I am glade that I may have had the joy to enjoy this memory. Thank you for writing this story to know that I am not the only one that remembered when it used to be a great memory.

I am also sincerely sadden by all the isei that saw this day. To those who where just as effected emotionally, be greatful that we had experience what the isei has brought us and learn to cherish them. Also, learn to be involve in your community. Last, accept changes will be hard but we should learn to embrace them.

-Kousuke