The Go For Broke Monument is a free memorial in historic Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, honoring Japanese American soldiers who served during World War II and their families. Pair a visit with time on Little Tokyo’s streets and, if access and operating hours suit your plans, a stop at downtown landmark Angels Flight Railway.
- Location: 160 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, in historic Little Tokyo.
- Admission: Free at the monument.
- Access: The Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro station provides access to the monument and its exhibition.
- Nearby sight: Angels Flight Railway is at 351 S. Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles.
Why Little Tokyo works as a day trip
Little Tokyo brings the Go For Broke Monument and neighborhood streets together in one central Los Angeles stop. You can begin with the memorial, then walk around the historic neighborhood before deciding whether to add a downtown attraction.
The monument gives the visit a clear focus: it honors Japanese American service members and their families, while its engraved names and military patches offer specific details to look for. The free admission makes it straightforward to include as part of a day out. For planning your Santa Ana connections, see how to get around Santa Ana.
How do you get from Santa Ana to central Los Angeles?
The supplied transport details identify the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center as a local starting point, but do not specify a complete route or travel time from there to Little Tokyo.
Use the Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro station for access to the monument and its exhibition, then check the available connections for your travel day before setting out.
Visit the Go For Broke Monument
The Go For Broke Monument is a 40-foot-wide circular structure with a black granite wall that rises nine feet. Its inscriptions honor Japanese American soldiers who served during World War II and their families.
The wall bears the names of 16,131 Nisei soldiers and officers, including 37 Japanese American women. Sixty U.S. Army patches represent the units in which the soldiers served. A kiosk at the monument’s southwest corner helps you locate a specific veteran’s name.
Japanese American World War II veterans led a decade-long effort to create the memorial. It was presented to the City of Los Angeles on June 5, 1999. Admission is free.
Walk around Little Tokyo
Little Tokyo is the setting for the monument, so the neighborhood makes a natural next stop on foot. After visiting the memorial, spend time walking its streets and taking in the surrounding urban scene before heading farther into downtown.
The monument’s address, 160 N. Central Avenue, places it within historic Little Tokyo. Keep the memorial and neighborhood visit together in your itinerary, then allow for a separate stop at Angels Flight if you have time and its access arrangements work for you.
Add Angels Flight and nearby downtown sights
Angels Flight Railway offers a distinct downtown stop at 351 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles, California 90013. Its two railcars are named Olivet and Sinai.
The railway operates from 6:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. Its railcars and narrow aisles were not originally designed to be wheelchair accessible, but wheelchair access can be arranged from the upper station to a modified platform on Sinai; tell the station operator when you arrive. Dogs are not allowed, except properly licensed service animals.
Check access, operating hours and return connections
Confirm the current access details for both stops before you build the day around them. The monument’s listed Metro access is via the Little Tokyo/Arts District station, while Angels Flight’s hours and accessibility arrangements have their own conditions.
Allow time to check your return connections before leaving downtown. Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center is about a 22-minute walk from Santa Ana Travel Inn, or about a 5-minute drive.
For your Little Tokyo day trip, browse room options for a Santa Ana stay. For the monument, consult the Go For Broke National Education Center; for Angels Flight, consult its operator.
FAQs
Where is the Go For Broke Monument?
It is at 160 N. Central Avenue in historic Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.
Does the Go For Broke Monument charge admission?
No. Visiting the monument is free.
Can wheelchair access be arranged at Angels Flight?
Yes. Access can be arranged from the upper station to a modified platform on Sinai. Tell the station operator when you arrive.