Little Tokyo Budokan Gets $1 Million

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The Budokan of Los Angeles, a recreation center planned by the Little Tokyo Service Center, has received a $1 million pledge from the George and Sakaye Aratani Family Foundation.

It is the $22.5 million project’s first major contribution, said LTSC Executive Director Bill Watanabe. The effort also received a $50,000 pledge from the Uchima family, Watanabe said.

The Budokan is slated to rise at 237-249 S. Los Angeles St. on city-owned land just south of the Little Tokyo branch library. Plans call for a 38,000-square-foot facility that will include a four-court gymnasium, community space and a rooftop garden with a jogging track. It would provide space for several sports with an emphasis on martial arts tournaments. Watanabe said it is too early to offer a timeline for the project.

The LTSC is looking to finance the Budokan through a mix of private and public sources. Watanabe hopes to announce a groundbreaking date in two years.

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