Dog Walkers in Little Tokyo (Japantown)

Little Tokyo or 'Japantown' is located in the Los Angeles business district near downtown, Chinatown, the Arts District, Toy District, and Skid Row. Residents in this area live in multi-story apartment buildings and there are plenty of shops, restaurants, theatres, museums, office buildings, and other commercial activity throughout the neighborhood. Residents can easily walk to services. 

As the name implies, this area is rich in Japanese culture and businesses. There is a Japanese cultural and community center, monuments, artwork, Japanese gardens, museums, theatres, karaoke clubs, sweet shops, and shops selling Japanese language books and movies located in the area. Many different types of Japanese eateries can be found here specializing in different types and styles of Japanese cuisine. A walk through this rich ethnic neighbourhood provides unique sites and sounds. When walking with your dog in the community, there is little concern for the weather which is warm and dry all year around.

Because Japantown is located in the Los Angeles Basin, the terrain in this area has some elevation changes with gentle slopes that do not present an impediment to pedestrians. Many of the buildings feature Japanese style architecture and have a long history. There is a row of historic shops on the north side of the first street. Several Japanese gardens, appropriately, make this urban environment home. 

Little Tokyo is a highly developed neighborhood with office towers, high-rise apartments, walk-up apartments, shopping areas, paved pedestrian malls, and many busy roads and thoroughfares. Traffic in this central neighborhood is heavy during the day and even in the evening with visitors accessing restaurants, nightlife, clubs, and theatres. When walking with your dog in the region, you will need to make sure your pup is acclimatized to noise, traffic, lots of pedestrians, sights, and smells. Dogs should be leashed in this busy neighborhood except in off-leash parks nearby.

There are several parks and greenways in and around Little Tokyo including some great off-leash dog parks. Grand Park is located in Little Tokyo and this 12-acre area has multiple paved pedestrian paths winding through it. There are vendor kiosks located in the park and if you are strolling through Grand Park with your dog, you might be able to grab a bite to eat and even share with your pup if you are so inclined. 

The Civic Centre Dog Park is a fenced enclosure on the northeast side of Grand Park where your dog can play off-leash.  Nearby, the Factory PI Mini Dog Park located to the south in the Arts District provides local canines another opportunity to roam free within the confines of the fenced off-leash area! 

Several other urban parks are located in the surrounding areas including Triangle Park, San Julian Park, Arts District Park, and Pershing Square Park, but require dogs to remain on a leash.