I visit Little Tokyo at least once a month even though I live 2 hours away - it's an eclectic taste of the Japanese culture where you can see performances, eat amazing authentic Japanese food, stay in Japanese style hotels (the Grand Kyoto) and pick up souvenirs you would not find anywhere else in the LA area. If you have the time, have lunch or dinner at Shabu-shabu house - there is a long wait, but it's totally worth it.
If you love to learn about other cultures with your family, then you will love this place! Travel to this representation of Japan and taste authentic Japanese cuisine and explore the art at the museum. I am not Japanese, but I enjoy and am used to Japanese cuisine. For dessert, try the fresh Mochi filled with sweet beans or Mochi Ice Cream! Yum!
I have always loved Little Tokyo and now I get to enjoy taking my children there. Your children will have fun in the rooftop garden on the Otani hotel, getting shabu-shabu or sushi, or going to Kinokunya bookstore and seeing their favorite anime characters.
This is the social, cultural, and economic center of Southern California’s Japanese American community. The twenty-one-story New Otani Hotel (see Where to Stay), the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, and the Japanese American National Museum are here, along with great restaurants and shops for your family to explore—Village Plaza, Little Tokyo Plaza, and Weller Court.