2025: Annual Sawtelle Japantown Celebration (A Vibrant Celebration Honoring Japanese Culture with Community Events & Festivities) Feb 21-Mar 2, 2025NEW

February 25, 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of  Los Angeles City’s official recognition of Sawtelle Japantown. In 2015, the West Los Angeles community petitioned 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 (SJC) was established in 2018 to remember and appreciate the history and legacy of a longstanding ethnic minority community.

The annual not-for-profit grassroots Sawtelle Japantown Celebration (SJC) continues to grow and celebrate communities-from Sawtelle, Little Tokyo, Santa Monica, Westwood, Rancho Park-Cheviot Hills, Mar Vista, Culver City, Del Rey, Larchmont, Downtown LA, East Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Torrance and Gardena.

The SJC 2025 banner is on display at Hashimoto Nursery on Sawtelle Blvd. and includes the legacy flower ‘quilt’ contributed in 2023 by students of Nora Sterry Elementary School and LAUSD’s first Japanese Dual Immersion Program in Region West.

This year’s 10-day Celebration begins Friday, February 21 and concludes Sunday, March 2. SJC includes three SPIN Giveaways--the first at Nijiya Market Sawtelle on Saturday, February 22 and the last at Marukai Market WLA on Saturday, March 1. Tuesday, February 25 sees a ‘Special’ 10th Anniversary SPIN Giveaway at Sawtelle’s Only the Lonely and the introduction of the Mini Mochi Churro Giveaway.

Dates
February 21 - March 2, 2025

SJC 2025 Merchant Promotions 
Multiple locations
Merchant promotions require a paper or digital version of SJC 2025’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 22, 2025 - 12 Noon
SJC 2025 SPIN Giveaway

Nijiya Market Sawtelle (storefront) - Only while giveaways last.
2130 Sawtelle Blvd.
Present a SJC 2025 Merchant/Community Friend receipt for a minimum $15 purchase dated February 21-22, 2025 for a giveaway prize. *Security present and no cash prizes.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 - 3:00 pm
SJC 2025 ‘Special’ 10th Anniversary SPIN Giveaway
Only the Lonely (storefront) - Only while giveaways last.
2025 Sawtelle Blvd.
Present a SJC 2025 Merchant/Community Friend receipt for a minimum $15 purchase dated February 21-25, 2025 for a giveaway prize. *Security present and no cash prizes.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 - 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ONLY
SJC 2025 Mini Mochi Churro Giveaway
Matcha Village, 2202 Sawtelle Blvd.
FREE Mini Mochi Churro with a SJC 2025 flyer. Limit 1 per person per flyer.

Saturday, March 1, 2025 - 12 Noon
SJC 2025 SPIN Giveaway
Marukai West Los Angeles (storefront) - Only while giveaways last.
12121 Pico Blvd.
Present a SJC 2025 Merchant/Community Friend receipt for a minimum $15 purchase dated February 21-March 1, 2025 for a giveaway prize. *Security present and no cash prizes.

Please be sure to thank the SJC 2025 merchants you visit for their support of Sawtelle Japantown Celebration.

For further SJC 2025 information, the flyer and program updates visit: https://SawtelleJTown.org
Contact us at: [email protected]

SCAN THE CODE and CELEBRATE!

Sawtelle Japanestown Dates
Feb 16 - 25, 2024

Previous Year

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)