What to Know
- Tuesday, Jan. 1, 10:50 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Dance, Taiko, martial arts, Year of the Pig festivities
- Several spots around the historic neighborhood, including Weller Plaza
Greeting the Year of the Pig?
So many tradition-laden, activity-filled, parade-happy celebrations are ahead in the coming weeks, around Southern California, for sure.
But waiting isn't necessary, if you're already in the auspicious and festive mindset that the Lunar New Year can so famously deliver.
There is, on New Year's Day, a wonderful way to dip into the excitement and promise of all that the coming year will kindly deliver, in Little Tokyo, at the annual Oshogatsu Festival.
The family festival promises "... an energetic day full of live entertainment, traditional food vendors, music, and more!"
It's free, too, so simply make your way to Weller Court, Japanese Plaza, and Frances Hashimoto Plaza to enjoy live performances aplenty.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
And we do mean "aplenty," and how: Taiko drums, lion dances, a sake-breaking ceremony, and martial arts demonstrations are all on the roster, in addition to folk dance presentations.
Other happenings'll be abloom around the historic neighborhood on Tuesday, Jan. 1, including mochi pounding and peeks at the beautiful art of calligraphy.
And if you'd like to keep the optimistic, hello-new-year-esque happenings going, look to the Japanese-American National Museum, on Sunday, Jan. 6.
The museum will host its own Oshogatsu Family Festival, in honor of the Year of the Boar, with free admission, plus "crafts, food, cultural activities, and performances!"
Be steeped in the sweetnesses and sights of Oshogatsu, and its community-close traditions, performances, and foods, as the first few days of 2019 grandly roll out.
