Otomisan has been serving authentic, homestyle Japanese cuisine since 1956. It is the oldest continuously operating Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles and the last remaining one in Boyle Heights.
The restaurant is small, with only a few booths and limited counter seating, but its old-school charm and warm, familiar atmosphere make it feel more like a family dining room than a typical restaurant. The menu features comforting classics like tonkatsu, udon, and teriyaki, all prepared with the kind of care and consistency that come from decades of tradition.
Otomisan’s location is more than just a backdrop—it’s a living piece of Los Angeles history. The building, constructed by Ryohei Nishiyama in the 1920s, originally housed a Japanese-operated grocery store and later became home to a florist and a barber shop, also run by Japanese-Americans. By the 1950s, the grocery store was transformed into a food establishment, eventually becoming the restaurant that stands today. Recognizing its cultural and historical significance, the L.A. City Council recently designated Otomisan as a Historic-Cultural Monument.
The restaurant also tells a broader story about Boyle Heights and its deep Japanese-American roots. After World War II, many Japanese-Americans returning from U.S. internment camps settled in Boyle Heights, one of the few neighborhoods in Los Angeles where they were allowed to live. By 1927, the area was home to an estimated 1,400 Japanese-Americans, drawn by both affordability and proximity to Little Tokyo across the L.A. River. While few traces of that once-thriving community remain, Otomisan stands as a rare and resilient symbol of a proud cultural legacy.
This miniature replica of Otomisan captures every detail of the exterior: from the hand-painted signage and Asahi paper lanterns to the maneki-neko (waving cat) perched in the window. The model truly comes to life with the addition of lighting elements: the large yellow sign glows brightly, a small lamp illuminates the front wall, and a warm light radiates from the interior.
Price: $2,750
Scale: 1:24
Artwork Dimensions: 10”W x 6”D x 12.5” H
Materials: Mixed Media - Foam, Chipboard, Basswood, Styrene
Total number in edition: 3
Please note that there may be very minor differences between each of the three miniatures in this edition.
Otomisan has been serving authentic, homestyle Japanese cuisine since 1956. It is the oldest continuously operating Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles and the last remaining one in Boyle Heights.
The restaurant is small, with only a few booths and limited counter seating, but its old-school charm and warm, familiar atmosphere make it feel more like a family dining room than a typical restaurant. The menu features comforting classics like tonkatsu, udon, and teriyaki, all prepared with the kind of care and consistency that come from decades of tradition.
Otomisan’s location is more than just a backdrop—it’s a living piece of Los Angeles history. The building, constructed by Ryohei Nishiyama in the 1920s, originally housed a Japanese-operated grocery store and later became home to a florist and a barber shop, also run by Japanese-Americans. By the 1950s, the grocery store was transformed into a food establishment, eventually becoming the restaurant that stands today. Recognizing its cultural and historical significance, the L.A. City Council recently designated Otomisan as a Historic-Cultural Monument.
The restaurant also tells a broader story about Boyle Heights and its deep Japanese-American roots. After World War II, many Japanese-Americans returning from U.S. internment camps settled in Boyle Heights, one of the few neighborhoods in Los Angeles where they were allowed to live. By 1927, the area was home to an estimated 1,400 Japanese-Americans, drawn by both affordability and proximity to Little Tokyo across the L.A. River. While few traces of that once-thriving community remain, Otomisan stands as a rare and resilient symbol of a proud cultural legacy.
This miniature replica of Otomisan captures every detail of the exterior: from the hand-painted signage and Asahi paper lanterns to the maneki-neko (waving cat) perched in the window. The model truly comes to life with the addition of lighting elements: the large yellow sign glows brightly, a small lamp illuminates the front wall, and a warm light radiates from the interior.
Price: $2,750
Scale: 1:24
Artwork Dimensions: 10”W x 6”D x 12.5” H
Materials: Mixed Media - Foam, Chipboard, Basswood, Styrene
Total number in edition: 3
Please note that there may be very minor differences between each of the three miniatures in this edition.
