2024 Top 59 of the Best Japanese Must Things To See In the United States

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2024 Experience the Japanese Culture

Alabama

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  North Alabama Japanese Garden with Japanese Tea House (Est. 1991) The North Alabama Japanese Garden with Japanese Tea House is a serene and tranquil oasis located in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. The garden was designed and built by Katsuyuki Design Associates of Japan,...
  

Arizona

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  Phoenix Japanese Friendship Garden - Ro Ho En The Japanese Friendship Garden - Ro Ho En is an authentic 3.5 acre Japanese Stroll Garden with tea house.  This tranquil and beautiful setting features more than 1,500 tons of hand picked rock, stone...
  
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California

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  Japanese American National Museum (JANM), Los Angeles, Japantown Little Tokyo We share the story of Japanese Americans because we honor our nations diversity. We believe in the importance of remembering our history to better guard against the prejudice that threatens liberty an...
  
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  Weller Court (Downtown LA, Little Tokyo) Weller Court Shopping Center is a small, intimate shopping center located in the heart of Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. It is known for its eclectic mix of shops and restaurants, many of which are Japa...
  
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  Little Tokyo (Downtown Los Angeles) Little Tokyo, also known as Little Tokyo Historic District, is an ethnically Japanese American district in downtown Los Angeles and the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in North Ameri...
  
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  Fugetsu-Do (Over 100 Years Old, Since 1903), Little Tokyo Fugetsu-Do has been a family owned and operated confectionery store in Little Tokyo since 1903. Japanese rice cakes, more commonly known as mochi (rice cake) and manju (sweet bean-filled rice cake), a...
  
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  Hakone Estate and Gardens (Japanese Garden) Hakone Gardens is one of the oldest Japanese estate and gardens in the Western Hemisphere - 18 acres. The gardens were originally the private estate of Isabel and Oliver Stine, San Francisco philanthr...
  
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  Descanso Gardens (Japanese Garden) For some 50 years, the Japanese Garden has been a favorite destination of Descanso Gardens visitors. Measuring a generous acre, this green-space feels almost like a world unto itself. Tucked beneath t...
  
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  Huntington Library, Art, Museum, and Botanical Gardens (Japanese Garden) After a year-long closure and a $6.8 million renovation, the historic Japanese Garden reopened in April, marking its centennial as one of the most beloved and iconic landscapes at The Huntington. Comp...
  
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  Asian Art Museum (Japanese Art) One of the Largest & Comprehensive Museums Dedicated Exclusively to Asian Art in the World The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is renowned for being one of the largest and most comprehensive museums dedicated exclusively to Asian art in the world. Its extensive collection features over 15...
  
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  Balboa Park Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego (Main) Balboa Park is renowned for the lush landscaping and lovely gardens on its 1,200 acres, offering a magnificent backdrop for the cultural attractions. The Park was ranked among the Best Parks in the Wo...
  
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  Sony Pictures Studios Take the Sony Pictures Studios Tour and step back into a legendary time. Located on one of the world's most famous studio lots, our walking tour gives you a rare glimpse of old Hollywood's glory days ...
  
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  Nisei Week Bon Odori - Little Tokyo, Japantown Nisei Week HistoryNisei Week Background and Events in AugustHistory of Nisei WeekAs it still does, the first Nisei Week in 1934 brightened Little Tokyo for seven days and nights. That was fifty-six ye...
  
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  Manzanar National Historic Site In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one ...
  
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  Go For Broke Monument (Next Door to MOCA-Museum of Contemporary Art) The fateful bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941 forever changed the lives of Japanese Americans.Japanese American soldiers in Hawaii, without forewarning, were segregated and shipped t...
  
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  Nisei Week Grand Parade Route - Little Tokyo, Japantown Nisei Week Parade Route1) Starts at Central Avenue 2) West on 2nd Street3) Travels north on Los Angeles Street4) Moves east on First Street 5) Completes its procession at Central AveImportant Nisei We...
  
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  Yamashiro Restaurant (Japanese Garden, View of Los Angeles, Bar) For 88 years Yamashiro has watched over the history of Hollywood. It has witnessed the birth of the film industry, the glamour of Hollywood's 'Golden Age', the difficult times of war with Japan, and t...
  
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  Japanese Tea Garden - San Francisco (Inside Golden Gate Park) Today, the Japanese Tea Garden endures as one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths,...
  
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  Shinzen Friendship Garden Shinzen emerged in the era of sister-city gardens, following World War II, with the building of Japanese Garden to forge friendships and to recognize the significant role of early Japanese immigrants ...
  
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  Shuei-Do Manju, San Jose Japantown (1961) Shuei-Do Manju San Jose, Japantown's oldest and most cherished bakery, is a Japanese-style bakery renowned for its delectable baked goods in the Bay Area. A local favorite since its establishment in 1...
  
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  Nichi Bei Bussan, San Jose Japantown Nichi Bei Bussan: 1902 to Present Day“When the earthquake struck around 5 a.m., Shojiro was living next to a tall brick firehouse. The firehouse collapsed away from him and crushed the other house, ...
  
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  Benkyodo Co (Started in 1906) (Closed on March 31, 2022 after 115 Years) Benkyodo Co is one of the original businesses in Japantown (started in 1906). This small mom & pop shop specializes in manju & mochi.   Other side of shop sells cofee..Some TipsGo early befo...
  
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  1st Street, Los Angeles - 13 of the Oldest Historic Buildings on Little Tokyo (Since 1890's) Thirteen buildings on First Street were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 as a national landmark, this is significant in Japanese-American history.A stretch of 13 buildings al...
  
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  Terasaki Budokan, Los Angeles - Little Tokyo Terasaki Budokan is a multi-purpose sports and community center located in the heart of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Named after Dr. Paul Terasaki, a renowned scientist and philanthropist, the facility ...
  
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  Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony At the Farm Wakamatsu Farm is a community place to appreciate natural resources, sustainable agriculture,and cultural history.Visitors of all ages enjoy fun, educational, and enriching activities. Vol...
  
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  USC Japanese Rock Garden - A Peaceful Spot To Reflect (Video) Japanese Rock Garden, USC - Building a peaceful place for reflection and remembranceDedicated to Japanese American students forced out of USC during World War II, a rock garden in traditional Japanese...
  
  USC Rock GardenEvents (1)
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  Historic Building in San Jose’s Japantown District (Constructed in 1929) A nine-decade-old historic building in San Jose’s Japantown district that once was a laundry and fish market might gain new life as a restaurant.While planning is in the early stages, the potential ...
  
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  Otomisan Restaurant (Est. 1956) Boyle Heights Landmark Restaurant in January 2022 Otomisan is the last surviving Japanese restaurant in the Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. Otomisan, now owned by Yayoi Watanabe, is believed to be the city’s oldest continuously operating Japanese rest...
  
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  WWII Camp Wall, Columbia Park, Torrance The Vision. The WWII Camp Wall is the vision of Kanji Sahara. During WWII,  his family was incarcerated at the Santa Anita Assembly Center. He was transferred to Jerome and Rohwer camps. After the wa...
  
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  Toyota Experience Center (Automotive Museum) Plano, Texas The Toyota Experience Center in Plano, Texas serves as an homage to the company's humble beginnings in the U.S. and its transformation into a future-oriented mobility company. The center, open to Toyo...
  
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  Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument The Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument (VJAMM) stands as a tribute to over 1,000 Japanese Americans who were forced from their homes in Venice, Santa Monica, and Malibu during World War II. Lo...
  
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  Dedication of the Japantown Monument at Winter’s Community Center, Rotary Park, Winters. Rotary Park, nestled in the heart of Winters, California, is a quaint yet vibrant outdoor sanctuary that captures the essence of community and nature. Spanning across a modest expanse, the park boasts...
  

Dist. Of Columbia

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  Washington Monument Grounds The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, D.C. and one of the city's early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and...
  
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  Ippakutei Tea House Tour (Authentic Japanese Tea House Named Ippakutei) Just a short walk away from busy Massachusetts Avenue, hidden on the grounds of the Embassy of Japan, is an oasis of calm and ancient culture. Nestled among pine and cherry blossom trees, sits the aut...
  

Florida

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  Walt Disney World in Orlando, Epcot - Japan Pavilion Japan Pavilion is a Japanese-themed pavilion that is part of the World Showcase, within Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, United States. Its location is between The American Adventure an...
  
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Georgia

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  Carter Center to Dedicate New Japanese Peace Bell (1820) [Video] The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. He and his wife Rosalynn Carter partnered with Emory University just after hi...
  

Hawaii

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  Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Maui Hawaii A Shin Buddhist (Jodo Shinshu) temple. The founder of this sect is Shinran Shonin (1173-1262). Shin Buddhism is considered to be the most widely practiced branch of Mahayana Buddhism.BackgroundThe for...
  
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  Lahaina Jodo Mission (Est. 1912) The Lahaina Jodo Mission was founded in 1912 with the support of many Japanese immigrants then working in the sugar and pineapple plantations. After the original temple was destroyed in a fire in 1968...
  
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  Byodo-In Temple - Oahu The Byodo-In Temple is located at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. It was established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the first Jap...
  
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  Japanese Garden - Hawai'i Nature Center, Maui Our Mission on O‘ahu & Maui.  Hawai‘i Nature Center seeks to foster awareness, appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of Hawai‘i’s environment by educating children with an interact...
  
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  Natsunoya Tea House (Est. 1921) Hawaii's Century-Old Japanese Tea House Natsunoya Tea House is a historic tea house located in Honolulu, Hawaii, and it is the oldest tea house in the United States. It was established in 1921 by Tadao Kurosawa, who was a Japanese immigrant...
  
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Illinois

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  Anderson Japanese Gardens (12-Acre Japanese Garden) Anderson Japanese Gardens is a breathtaking 12-acre sanctuary of tranquility and beauty nestled in Rockford, Illinois. This world-renowned Japanese garden is a serene oasis, meticulously designed to t...
  
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  Japan House (Japanese Garden, Tea Garden, Tea Rooms, Dry Garden) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign It is the mission of Japan House to bring about cultural understanding, to offer exposure to new perspectives and, ultimately, to give a necessary refuge for all to embrace tranquility in an immersive...
  
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  Garden of the Phoenix, Chicago (Japanese Garden) The Garden of the Phoenix was established on March 31, 1893 by the United States and Japan as a symbol of their friendship, and as a permanent place for visitors to learn about Japan and experience Ja...
  
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Massachusetts

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  The New England Peace Pagoda The New England Peace Pagoda was completed and inaugurated in 1985.A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa; a monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and ...
  

Minnesota

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  Enger Park, Duluth Japanese Peace Bell Garden & Zen Garden Celebrates Duluth's sister city relationship with Ohara Isumi-City, Japan.The Japanese Peach Bell Garden includes: 1) The Japanese (Ohara) Peace Bell (you can ring it)2) Japanese Zen GardenThe Japanes...
  

New York

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  Japan Society, New York (Youngest Landmark Building After 40 Years Old) Japan Society is the leading U.S. organization committed to deepening mutual understanding between the United States and Japan in a global context. Now in its second century, the Society serves audien...
  
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  The Noguchi Museum, New York reated by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988), The Noguchi Museum opened in 1985, presenting a comprehensive collection of the artist's works in stone, metal, wood, and clay, as well as models for public projec...
  
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  New York Botanical Garden (Brooklyn Botanic Garden) Cherry Blossom Trees, Garden The historic garden is one of the oldest extant Japanese gardens in the United States, and its collection of cherry cultivars was in lovely bloom during filming. Petry, a specialist in moving camera t...
  
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  Ramen Shack (Keizo Shimamoto Creator Ramen Burger) Keizo Shimamoto creator of the Ramen Burger and a small hole and the wall ramen shop. 
  
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  Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park Sonnenberg_japanese_tea_houseSonnenberg’s Japanese Garden is one of 250 Japanese Gardens in the United States and just one of 100 Japanese Gardens in the U.S. with a tea house. Mrs. Thompson’s Tea...
  

Ohio

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  Ault Park (1000s Cherry Blossom Tree Grove Blooms in late March to early April) According to Park lore, 1,000 Japanese Cherry blossom trees were given to the city as a gift to Mayor Russell Wilson in the 1930’s. Since then, Cincinnati Parks staff have planted additional trees t...
  

Oregon

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  Portland Japanese Garden The Portland Japanese Garden is widely regarded as one of the most authentic and beautiful Japanese gardens outside of Japan. Here are some reasons why:1. Design and Layout: The Portland Japanese Gard...
  
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Pennsylvania

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  Shofuso Japanese House and Garden [Video] This shoin-zukuri (desk-centered) house, built in 17th century style, is located on the grounds of the Horticultural Center in the West Fairmount Park. The perfectly proportioned architecture of the m...
  
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Texas

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  The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum - Samurai Collection The Samurai Collection is Dallas, Texas, was created in 2012 to house the Japanese Armor of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller.  Their ever-expanding collection is comprised of almost 1,000 objects, man...
  
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Washington

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  Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee House (Historic built in 1910) The Historic Panama Hotel built in 1910 by Sabro Ozasa, a Japanese Architect and graduate of the University of Washington. Through the years it has served as a home for generations of Japanese immigra...
  
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  Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community (BIJAC) honors the heritage of the Issei (first generation Japanese) who came to the United States, and particularly to Bainbridge Island, to make a n...
  
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  Seattle Japanese Garden - Washington Park Arboretum (Main) The Japanese Garden is a 3.5-acre traditional Japanese stroll garden located within the Washington Park Arboretum. The idea for a Japanese Garden in Seattle had formed by 1909 but it wasn’t until 19...
  
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Wyoming

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  Heart Mountain Interpretive Center Heart Mountain is located 14 miles east of Cody, Wyoming. Take Hwy 14A to Road 19. A small road sign marks the turn. Look for tall red chimney to the north.In August of 2011, the Heart Mountain Wyomin...