Little Tokyo Historical Society

Little Tokyo Historical Society (EIN confirmed as 45-3340448) is a donor-facing, volunteer-run historical preservation organization founded by community members in 2006 to honor and protect the 135+-year history of Little Tokyo. The organization researches and documents buildings, cultural sites, family histories, and personal narratives and promotes preservation through naming projects, landmark designation advocacy, walking tours, exhibitions, publications, and educational programs. LTHS holds monthly public meetings (hybrid onsite/Zoom) at the Japanese American National Museum and runs regular public-facing initiatives—walking tours, the Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest, digital archives, and community placemaking projects—to engage residents, students, and visitors. In recent years LTHS has been active in landmark designation efforts, produced outreach materials and walking maps, partnered with local museums and community organizations, and received state funding to develop media projects that raise public awareness about Little Tokyo’s history.