Little Tokyo Breakfast Club
Photo by Mayumi Hirahara.
When
Where
Price
$10.00 (fees included)
Includes a traditional Japanese breakfast.
Walk-up Availability
No tickets will be available for purchase on-site.
About
Join us on the third Thursday of every month for the Little Tokyo Breakfast Club. Hosts Steve Nagano and Jane Matsumoto welcome your participation in casual community conversation and stories shared over a home-cooked Japanese breakfast prepared by Chef Gary Matsumoto. Enjoy the seasonal beauty of the James Irvine Japanese garden as the backdrop to our monthly gatherings.
Steve and Jane are pleased to welcome Naomi Hirahara, an Edgar Award-winning author and former journalist with The Rafu Shimpo, as the ninth guest speaker in the series. Her acclaimed body of work spans mystery, historical fiction, and nonfiction, including the Mas Arai mystery series and the award-winning Clark and Division, which explores the Japanese American experience during and after World War II. Most recently, Naomi Hirahara released Evergreen and will publish her latest novel, Crown City, in February 2026. Tickets are available online, with a limited number available for walk-up guests on the day of the event.
Come be part of the conversation. Your seat at the table is waiting!
The Little Tokyo Breakfast Club is serving up traditional Japanese breakfasts from Chef Gary Matsumoto, along with engaging talks from special guest speakers handpicked by our hosts, Steve Nagano and Jane Matsumoto.
The Team at the Table
Guest: Naomi Hirahara
Naomi Hirahara is an Edgar Award-winning author of multiple traditional mystery series and noir short stories. Her Mas Arai mysteries, which have been published in Japanese, Korean and French, feature a Los Angeles gardener and Hiroshima survivor who solves crimes. Her first historical mystery, Clark and Division, which won a Mary Higgins Clark Award, follows a Japanese American family’s move to Chicago in 1944 after being released from a California wartime detention center. A former journalist with The Rafu Shimpo newspaper, Naomi has also written numerous non-fiction history books and curated exhibitions. She has also written a middle-grade novel, 1001 Cranes. Her follow-up to Clark and Division, Evergreen, was released in August 2023 and was on the USA Today bestseller list for two weeks. Her latest book, Crown City, will be published in February 2026.
Co-host: Steve Nagano
Steve Nagano is a Little Tokyo resident, and has been involved with a number of community organizations and events. As a filmmaker he has shown his film shorts annually in the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and various community organizations. Since 2011 he has been a board member of the Neighborhood Council. He has done extensive work on the preservation of the testimonies of incarcerees before the Commission WRIC (CWRIC). He has been a key organizer of the Little Tokyo Sparkle, the community-wide cleanup.
Co-host: Jane Matsumoto
Jane Matsumoto is the former Executive Culinary Arts Director at JACCC, retiring in late 2024. Jane has worked for more than 25 years in public service. She played a key role in major projects like implementing the TAP smart card system for public transportation, but her true passion lies in the culinary arts.
Jane is deeply inspired by the history, science, and preparation of global cuisines—especially Washoku, the traditional food of Japan. Outside the kitchen, she’s often exploring food blogs, diving into cookbooks, traveling, or hiking local trails.
Chef Gary Matsumoto
Born and raised in Southern California, Gary returned to the area in 2022 after spending almost thirty years in Hawaii. A graduate of the University of Southern California and the Kapiolani Community College Culinary Arts program, his experience in food and beverage runs the gamut of the industry. Training and progressing in the kitchen at Alan Wong’s Honolulu, he has also served as a Chef de Cuisine, Executive Chef, General Manager, Food & Beverage Director, and consultant, across a spectrum of different properties.
Things To Know
Entrance & Check-in
Check-in: 8:00 am | Event: 8:30 am
The entrance to the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center can be found inside the lobby of our 5-story Office Tower.
All patrons will visit the check-in table, located inside the lobby of the building, so please have your e-ticket(s) with QR code ready.
Accessibility
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask that you please refrain from wearing strong fragrances. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact culinaryteam@jaccc.org.
Plan Your Visit
JACCC is a 7-minute walk from the L.A. Metro Rail's Little Tokyo/Arts District Station, which connects to both the A and E lines via the Regional Connector.
For additional transportation options and parking details, check out Go Little Tokyo's Guide to the area here.