Los Angeles
Downtown & Artist Lofts
It is the heart of Los Angeles, lined with high-rise office and commercial buildings.
In addition to the business district with its concentration of high-rise buildings, Downtown Los Angeles has a government office district, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, an art district, a toy district, a flower district, a fashion district, a jewelry district, and so on.
In recent years, redevelopment has been active, with more than 100 projects planned or underway. In particular, conversion projects to convert old office buildings and warehouses to residential use and the construction of new condominiums are progressing, and the permanent population is increasing dramatically, making this the hottest area in the city today.
In recent years, the Artist District is being reborn as an arts district. What was once a deserted warehouse district is now being reformed by aesthetically pleasing artists into a district overwhelmingly favored by young people and families.
Hollywood & Eco Park & Silver Lake
■Hollywood, West Hollywood
Since the opening of Hollywood & Highland in 2002, the Academy Awards ceremony has been held at the Dolby Theatre inside. The center of town is Hollywood Blvd. lined with movie theaters, restaurants, theaters and gift stores. The sidewalks on both sides of the street are embedded with Walk Of Fame (star-shaped paving stones engraved with the names of celebrities) for approximately 3,000 people.
West Hollywood, also known as the fashionable and sophisticated gay neighborhood, is one of the trendiest places in town. Once a year, a gay parade is held on Santa Monica Blvd.
■Los Feliz, Silver Lake
Los Feliz is a fashion area with fashionable stores. Recently, the area has been expanding eastward to Silver Lake. With live music venues, recording studios, and television stations nearby, many aspiring models, actors, and artists live in the area. The surrounding hills are also high-end residential areas, where the local high-income earners live, creating a unique and distinctive townscape and atmosphere.
Beverly Hills & Westside & Century City
■West Los Angeles
West Los Angeles generally refers to the area of Los Angeles west of Beverly Hills. The area is home to upper-middle class residences, while Bel Air and Brentwood to the north are upscale residential neighborhoods. Westwood, near the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is a commercial district with many students, but it is also an upscale residential area with high-rise condominiums. Other commercial centers include San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood and the Sawtelle Blvd. commercial district with Japanese stores and restaurants.
■Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a world-famous luxury residential area that has appeared in numerous movies. Even today, many celebrities and movie stars actually live here. The streets and sidewalks are well maintained, including Rodeo Drive, which is lined with luxury boutiques, and the cars that pass by are all luxury cars. The entire city has a safe and gorgeous atmosphere, and the central business district attracts not only locals but also tourists.
■Century City
Century City, where Fox Studios is located, has many office buildings and a large shopping mall has been constructed. This area is also expected to attract much attention as a development area in the future.
Beach Cities
■Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach
Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach, located south of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), are all upscale residential areas near the coast, while the commercial districts centering on the piers in each city are fashionable spots where locals gather. （The commercial district centered on the pier (Pier) in each city is a fashionable spot where locals gather.
■Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, and Abbot Kinney
Blue skies and spacious sandy beaches are the very image of bright Southern California. Santa Monica is a very popular beach, and its symbolic pier, with its Ferris wheel and numerous restaurants, is crowded with tourists all year round.
Along Main St., which runs from Santa Monica to Venice, there are boutiques, antique furniture and sundry goods stores, galleries, and other unique stores and restaurants, attracting attention as a fashionable area.
Abbot Kinney Street is a recent fashionable spot.
Marina Del Rey is the world's largest artificial harbor for small yachts, with approximately 10,000 yachts and cruisers docked here. This area, which is connected to Santa Monica, is lined with luxury homes and condominiums.
South Bay & Torrance
■South Bay
Located 30 minutes south of LAX, Long Beach is the most popular tourist spot in the South Bay. It is an area where LA residents gather for surfing and marine sports, and is lined with shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, and general stores.
■Torrance
Torrance is a residential area located south of Los Angeles, where many Japanese expatriates live, mainly in Torrance, due to the presence of large Japanese companies such as manufacturers and trading companies. It used to be an agricultural area, and Japanese Americans engaged in agriculture have long formed a community centering on Gardena, and many Japanese have moved into the area as the city has expanded and companies have located in the area. Palos Verdes, a hilly area adjacent to the south of Torrance, is an upscale residential area with large multi-million dollar homes.
Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley
■Pasadena
Pasadena is a quiet, green residential area about 20 minutes north of Downtown Los Angeles by car. Since the city's symbol is the rose, the "Rose Parade" and "Rose Bowl (American football)" held every year on New Year's Day are televised throughout the United States. The city's redevelopment efforts have transformed the area around Colorado Avenue into the fashionable "Old Pasadena. The area is crowded with movie theaters, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and many pedestrians even at night.
■San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is the eastern area of Los Angeles County that extends east of Downtown Los Angeles. Depending on the location, there is a large Chinese ethnic population in the area. Monterey Park, in particular, is said to be the second Chinatown, and Chinese-language signs are so conspicuous. There are also upscale residential areas such as San Marino and Hacienda Heights.
San Fernando Valley
This area is located in the northern part of Los Angeles.
It is also an area that stands out for its basin-like shape that stretches over a mountain pass to the north from Santa Monica. The hillsides are lined with upscale residences. Burbank, in the eastern part of the area, is home to major movie studios, and the Universal Studios theme park is located in Studio City, which is adjacent to Burbank.
Ventura Blvd., which runs for about 16 miles from Studio City to Woodland Hills, is the commercial center of the area. Art galleries, shopping centers, sushi restaurants, Japanese gardens, and theme parks are located along this street, which is affectionately known as "The Valley" by the locals.
Orange County
County (County) adjacent to the southeast of Los Angeles County.
It is a suburban residential area of Los Angeles, with relatively high real estate values along the coast and in the hills.
Newport Beach, in particular, is one of the top 10 most expensive residential areas in the U.S., and is also known as the Beverly Hills of the coast. Many Japanese people live in Irvine, which is also popular as a safe and quiet residential area, and in Costa Mesa, where there is a Japanese supermarket.
Tourist attractions such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and South Coast Plaza (shopping mall) are also located in Orange County.
This area is often chosen as a filming location for many movies because of its hilly terrain and panoramic views of the beach. The area is also home to one of the largest ports in the U.S., where luxury cruise ships dock.
