Each year, the Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest heightens awareness of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo by challenging both new and experienced writers to write a story that showcases familiarity with the neighborhood and the people in it. Writers from three categories—Adult, Youth, and Japanese language—weave fictional stories set in the past, present, or future. Each category winner will be awarded a cash prize and their story will be published in The Rafu Shimpo and on the Discover Nikkei website. 

This year’s winning stories captured the spirit and cultural essence of Little Tokyo. Though we are not able to gather in Little Tokyo, Imagine Little Tokyo is bringing the awards ceremony online! Actors Tamlyn Tomita, Derek Mio, and Eijiro Ozaki will perform dramatic readings of the winning stories from each category and the winners themselves will have the opportunity to share brief reflections. 

This program is FREE, but RSVPs are required using the link below. You will be emailed links and instructions to join via Zoom.

RSVP NOW

Please confirm that the email that you register with is the best way to reach you. Note: you only need to register once per each device that you will be using to watch the program. Contact publicprograms@janm.org if you have any additional questions or specific access concerns.

The contest is presented by Little Tokyo Historical Society in partnership with JANM’s Discover Nikkei project.

Read stories from past Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contests:

• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest I 
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest II 
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest III 
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest IV 
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest V 
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest VI