The Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California and Japanese Chamber of Commerce Foundation present Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo, a Japanese New Year’s celebration, on Tuesday, Jan. 1.
The opening ceremony at Weller Court (Onizuka Street between First and Second) will take place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Festivities at Weller Court will run until 3 p.m.
Programs at Japanese Village Plaza (entrances on First and Second streets between Central and San Pedro) will start at 12 p.m. and end at 3 p.m.
Stage programs will include taiko drumming, classical Japanese dances, calligraphy demonstrations, martial art demonstrations, Japanese folk songs and dances, and kimono fashion shows.
Miss Kimono L.A. and Mr. Kimono L.A. contests will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Onizuka Street.
Origami and kite booths will be open for children.
Food booths will include yakisoba, ama-sake, Imagawa-yaki, oshiruko, cotton candy, and mochi. There will be a demonstration of mochitsuki.
Other booths will be staffed by Kimono Club, Maka Kyara Ya, Anime Jungle, NTD TV, Samurai Action Studio, Little Tokyo Service Center, Konnichiwa Little Tokyo, New York Life, California Telephone Access Program, City of Los Angeles’ Election Division, and Little Tokyo Historical Society.
For the latest information, call (213) 626-3067. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce is located in the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center at 244 S. San Pedro St., Suite 410, Los Angeles, CA 90012-3895. Visit www.jccsc.com.