2024/5/18: Little Tokyo Sparkle

Once a year, Little Tokyo Sparkle brings together everyone who loves Little Tokyo and those who want to know more about this community.

It’s a day of cleaning the neighborhood, enjoying a delicious lunch provided by generous donors, and an entertaining, worthwhile raffle.

On Saturday, May 18, 2024, 9am-12:30pm, Little Tokyo will be celebrating Nancy Kikuchi Volunteer Day with a neighborhood-wide community clean-up day!

Volunteers will be doing trash pick-up, graffiti removal, sidewalk clean-up, and more. Lunch will be provided after the clean-up.

Little Tokyo Sparkle asks the public to join in their efforts to clean up Little Tokyo and continue the process of building our community!

For more information: littletokyosparkle@gmail.com

Sign-Up for 2024 Little Tokyo Sparkle

Saturday, May 18, 2024, 9:00 am-12:30 pm

1. Meeting Up: Volunteers will meet up at the JACCC Plaza by 9:00 am to get into assigned work groups and to pick up cleaning supplies.

2. Cleaning Up: A work group leader will lead volunteers to a designated area in Little Tokyo to clean.

3. Lunch & Raffle: Volunteers will return to the JACCC Plaza by 12:30pm to enjoy a light lunch and a raffle after cleaning.

Back in 2016, the current coordinators of Little Tokyo Sparkle felt that the Little Tokyo Historic District in downtown Los Angeles was in need of cleaning.

Their goal was to preserve the rich culture and history of the area through annual cleanups. They began by reaching out to local businesses and organizations that could help co-sponsor the cleanup event and with overwhelming support, Little Tokyo Sparkle emerged.

Nancy Kikuchi was one of the community volunteers and contributors to many organizations in Little Tokyo. In honor of her memory, the day is also known as “Nancy Kikuchi Volunteer Day.”

The Sparkle community has continued to expand every year thanks to the participation of diverse groups, businesses, and organizations.

There are now over 300 volunteers that come out to help pick up trash, wash windows, wipe graffiti, and more. It is a day dedicated to bonding over the love for Little Tokyo and making a difference.