The historic Kouraku Restaurant, located in the heart of historic Little Tokyo, proudly announces the unveiling of a monumental marker to commemorate its legacy as America’s oldest ramen restaurant still in operation.
This monumental marker ceremony at Kouraku (314 E 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012) will take place on Thursday, January 30th, 2025, promptly from 9:00 AM. The event is free and open to the public, with a strongly encouraged RSVP via this Google Form to receive event updates. The first 50 guests will receive one complimentary bowl of ramen and one commemorative keychain.
“Being officially recognized as the oldest ramen shop in America is an honor and goes to show the commitment of our longtime employees that work tirelessly. This will strengthen our identity as not only a business, but also as a community by bringing in more people to experience Little Tokyo,” said Mamoru Tokuda, current owner of Kouraku.
A LEGACY OF CULTURAL PERSEVERANCE
Kouraku was established in 1976 at 240 E 2nd Street before relocating to its current location in 1986. Under the leadership of the late Yamauchi family, and now Mamoru Tokuda, Kouraku has remained committed to serving labor-intensive, traditional dishes that honor Japanese culinary heritage. Beloved staples such as handmade gyoza, ramen, and mapo tofu have made Kouraku a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors.
The Little Tokyo Service Center Small Business Program and its Small Biz Hype Squad collaboration with Kouraku underscores the importance of preserving community history and uplifting legacy businesses.
Mariko Lochridge emphasized, “In 2023 when members of our Small Biz Hype Squad discovered that Kouraku is America’s OLDEST ramen restaurant we knew this had to be recognized and celebrated. Our community members have created a thoughtful campaign which includes videos featuring Kouraku’s longtime back of house employees as well as a physical zine to share the rich culinary history of this local favorite. It’s wonderful to see the city recognizing those efforts and our community-based small business with a monumental marker. A very big thank you to Chris Escalera, Sherry Richner, Kevin Keizuchi, Jon Hoey, Lawrence Yu, Max Ogden, Krislynn Khek, Allinta Tadesse and James Okazaki for giving so much of your time and energy to seeing this project through to this amazing milestone.”
CELEBRATING LITTLE TOKYO’S RESILIENCE
This event is not only a celebration of Kouraku’s contributions but also an acknowledgment of the resilience and importance of Asian American businesses in Little Tokyo. The monumental marker stands as a testament of the tremendous effort and commitment involved with being a smaller business or restaurant in an unpredictably challenging environment. It is also dedicated to the many organizations that keep the community stronger than ever like the Little Tokyo Service Center, the Little Tokyo Historical Society, the Little Tokyo Community Council, the Little Tokyo Business Association and all community members who work tirelessly to preserve this neighborhood’s 140-year legacy.
Bill Watanabe remarked, “The marker installed on a City pole, which is situated directly in front of the restaurant, will help people to recognize the historicity of the business and also increase the appreciation/sense of ‘specialness’ of enjoying the ramen dishes which have been served over generations!”
Special guests include award-winning historic preservationist and bilingual small business programs coordinator Mariko Lochridge, newly elected councilmember for Los Angeles City Council District 14 Ysabel J. Jurado, founder of the Little Tokyo Historical Society Bill Watanabe, executive director of the Little Tokyo Community Council Kristin Fukushima, senior vice president with Little Tokyo Business Association Glenn Osaki, and Little Tokyo legacy business owner in Mamoru Tokuda.
Following the unveiling, the first 50 patrons will be welcomed into Kouraku and served complimentary ramen to celebrate this milestone. Additionally, exclusive commemorative keychains will be available as a token of appreciation for all attendees.
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS
The Monumental Marker Ceremony will feature the unveiling of a monumental marker outside Kouraku, and a brief press conference with remarks by community members and local government officials to recognize the restaurant’s nearly 50-year history of serving ramen to Los Angeles diverse communities and visitors. The unveiling will include speeches from:
Mariko Lochridge: Little Tokyo Service Center Small Business Programs Coordinator and creator of the Small Biz Hype Squad, a pioneering example of how community-driven initiatives can preserve legacy businesses and nurture cultural vibrancy in a historic neighborhood.
Ysabel J. Jurado: Councilmember of District 14 (CD14) in Los Angeles that covers diverse neighborhoods like Boyle Heights, and parts of Northeast Los Angeles, and Downtown Los Angeles including Little Tokyo.
Bill Watanabe: Founder of the Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS), an all-volunteer nonprofit organization committed to documenting the 141 years of Japanese American and Japanese history and heritage in Little Tokyo. This is done through various means such as discovered archival collections, vintage photos, and advocating for Historical-Cultural monument designations and dedicated naming sites.
Kristin Fukushima: Executive Director of the Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC), a nonprofit community coalition of residents, businesses, and religious, cultural, and community organizations as well as other vested stakeholders in the Little Tokyo community.
Glenn Osaki: Senior Vice President with Little Tokyo Business Association (LTBA) and global communications strategist with nearly four decades of leadership in reputation and crisis management, public diplomacy, and international affairs.
Mamoru Tokuda: Third-generation owner of Kouraku, who took over the family-owned business in 2023 when his predecessor passed from cancer. After immigrating to the United States from Japan, he worked in many Japanese restaurants across LA County and eventually became the owner he is today.
Other guest speakers will be announced as they are added to the program.
RSVP AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Join us in celebrating this historic moment and the vibrant community that has supported Kouraku for nearly five decades.
The Monumental Marker Ceremony at Kouraku is free to the public, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged to ensure smooth event coordination and to receive any changes or updates to the schedule. To RSVP, please visit this Google Form.
ABOUT KOURAKU
Kouraku, established in 1976, holds the distinction of being America’s oldest ramen restaurant still in operation. Located in Little Tokyo, Kouraku continues to be a late-night haven for Japanese comfort food lovers. Under the leadership of Mamoru Tokuda, the restaurant preserves the culinary traditions of post-WWII Japan while embracing innovation for a modern dining experience. For more information, visit their Instagram (@kouraku_littletokyo).
ABOUT LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER AND THEIR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM
The Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Little Tokyo and other underserved communities. Through their work, they support legacy businesses, create affordable housing, and promote equitable community development. LTSC helps provide assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in Little Tokyo and throughout Los Angeles County. Learn more at the LTSC Official Website.