Community Nisei Week Japanese American Festival The Nisei Week Japanese Festival will be celebrating its 60th year. It was started by the Nisei or second generation Japanese Americans in 1934 during the Great Depression. It was created to generate jobs, attract business to the Little Tokyo area and to promote goodwill. The most unique aspect of the festival is that it is totally planned, organized and run by literally thousands of volunteers from the Japanese American Community. Literally thousands of hours are volunteered by members of the business community, religious organizations, Japanese American Citizens Leagues, Optimist Clubs, fraternities and sororities. Nikkei Games - "Games for the Generations" The year was 1928, and Japanese-Americans were rumbling through the "Roaring 20's." Unprecedented growth within the Southland, especially in the Los Angeles basin, created a need for many more community activities. Among the many traditions born during this period were the Junior Olympics, initially sponsored by the Japanese Athletic Union. Little did our forefathers realize that their thirst for healthy competition and friendship through these track and field events some seventy years ago would foster a legacy for many generations. LA Tofu Festival As one of the featured events on the Democratic National Convention calendar, the Fifth Annual LA Tofu Festival is one of the major community celebrations in Los Angeles. The 1999 Festival was an overwhelming success with close to 30,000 guests converging in Little Tokyo. The Festival is a multicultural celebration of food experiences, with recipes from tofu enchiladas to tofu cheesecake. This unique fund raising festival is produced by Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) featuring the culinary and health benefits of tofu. Little Tokyo Service Center For 19 years, the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) has been an important resource for the residents of a diverse downtown community. Founded in 1979, LTSC is a nonprofit charitable organization serving people in need, especially those facing language or cultural gaps, financial need, or physical disabilities. Little Tokyo Gym For Japanese Americans dispersed throughout Southern California, a sports / recreational facility - or "gym" - in Little Tokyo could provide a gathering place for JAs of all ages and from all areas, as well as contribute to a better overall environment for those who live and work in the area. Based on community input, the current concept of this Little Tokyo sports facility has expanded to include athletic, social, cultural, and artistic activities for various generations. Take a look at this site and support the Little Tokyo Service Center's Community Development Corporation in making this dream a reality. Japanese American Cultural & Community Center The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) is an ethnic cultural center located in downtown Los Angeles, Little Tokyo. Started in 1980, JACCC is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and encourage an appreciation of Japanese and Japanese American heritage and cultural arts. The Japanese American Network The Japanese American Network (JA*Net) is a partnership of Japanese American organizations based in Los Angeles. A goal of this partnership is to encourage the use of the Internet and interactive communications technologies to exchange information about Japanese Americans -- art, culture, community, history, news, events, social services, and public policy issues. Yellow Brotherhood Asian American community activist and affairs group.