Book cover reading "Images of America: Sawtelle West Los Angeles's Japantown" above an image of a seated group portrait of women and girls in kimonos.
Black and white book page. A large plant nursery with "Equitable Nursery" written on building at top of page. Below, an old car in front of a 1930's gas station with a large "Shell" sign.
Black and white book page. 6 children in kimonos performing classical Japanese dance.

Images of America: Sawtelle - West Los Angeles's Japantown

Regular price $ 21.99


Softcover, 126 pages, 6.5 x 9/25 inches.

This book is full of high quality historical photos of Sawtelle Japantown, Giant Robot's home, paired with informative written captions for each image.

Written on the back cover:

A 1.48-square-mile piece of unincorporated Los Angeles County when it was annexed by the City of Los Angeles in 1922, tiny Sawtelle has lived very large in the hearts and minds of Japanese Americans. Their homes, livelihoods, religions, businesses, language, and other ethnocentric and social involvements are rooted in the area, with the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle as the cultural nexus. Bisected by Sawtelle Boulevard, this particular Japantown flourished through a close-knit network of immigrants who were denied citizenship until 1952 and were excluded by law from land ownership. Only through second-generation, American-born children could they buy real property. These vintage images--collected from local families, businesses, and organizations--provide rare glimpses into the Japanese immigrant experience in Los Angeles.