Across the Universe: THE REVEAL

Greetings, SundayLA Peeps:

Thanks for participating in the first SundayLA set of clues! Congrats to Jaymi (who also happens to be an amazing photographer) for guessing that this week I was in Little Tokyo. Also, a big shout-out to Yvonne B. via the SundayLA Facebook page for guessing the Ellison S. Onizuka memorial as the reason that there is a space shuttle memorial in the midst of Little Tokyo! Below you can find the geotags for the photos (in the captions), some fun facts about the area, the art and a digital walking tour that you can print out and follow on your own!

Photo 1: Scluptural fountain in the middle of Astronaut E. S. Onizuka Street in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Click here to see this exact location on a satellite map. 

Photo 2: Friendship Knot by Shinkichi Tajiri, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Click here to see this exact location on a satellite map.

Photo 3: A model of the lost Space Shuttle Challenger, in which Astronaut Onizuka launched on his second and final space mission. Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Click here to see this exact location on a satellite map.

History:


Photo 2: The Friendship Knot
At the entrance of Onizuka Street at San Pedro and 2nd Street, you'll see the Friendship Knot by Shinkichi Tajiri. Tajiri was born in Watts, California to 1st generation Japanese parents. He is known worldwide for his knot sculptures and has been classified by some as an "abstract surrealist". This particular sculpture was presented to the City of Los Angeles on August 5, 1981 as a bicentennial gift and intended as a symbol of unity between the Japanese and American cultures.


Photo 3: Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka/Challenger Memorial
Hawaiian-born astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka was the first Asian American in space, and flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist before perishing in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1984. Before being selected for NASA, Onizuka was on active duty in the US Air Force.


Here's a great digital guide for a walking tour through Little Tokyo.


And here is a link to a great Little Tokyo Visitor's Guide.


See you next Sunday in LA!