Editing Gardena, California (section)

===Japanese Americans===
{{see also|History of the Japanese in Los Angeles}}
[[File:Gardena California 2024 Feb 02.jpg|thumb|Okinawa
Association]]
[[File:Gardena California 2024 Feb 03.jpg|thumb|Buddhist temple]]
Gardena has a large Japanese-American community.<ref>Goodman, Adrianne. "[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-24-ga-455-story.html Teacher Helps Japanese-Americans Brush Up on Their Heritage]." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. November 24, 1988. Retrieved on August 30, 2013.</ref>  Until 2014, it had the second-highest concentration of Japanese Americans in any U.S. municipality, the first being [[Honolulu]]. As of 2014, the nearby city of [[Torrance, California|Torrance]] holds the highest Japanese-American population in the 48 contiguous states.<ref>{{cite news |title=Toyota built Torrance into the second-largest home of Japanese Americans. Now, it's leaving |publisher=[[Public Radio International]] |work=[[The World (radio program)|The World]] |date=May 16, 2014 |first= Akiko |last=Fujita |access-date=October 4, 2016 |url=http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-16/toyota-built-torrance-second-largest-home-japanese-americans-now-its-leaving}}</ref>

The Japanese Cultural Institute (JCI) has been is located in Gardena since 1988, and offers cultural and social activities for Japanese Americans. The building used during that year was completed in 1976.<ref name=GoodmanFocal>"[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-01-we-4421-story.html 'Focal Point' for Community : Institute Perpetuates Japanese Culture]." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. September 1, 1988. Retrieved on August 30, 2013.</ref>

Early in Gardena's history, Japanese migrants played a role in the agrarian economy. The Japanese Association founded the Moneta Japanese Institute in 1911, and the Parents' Association founded the Gardena Japanese School in 1916.<ref name=LAlibraryGardenaFAQ>"[http://www.colapublib.org/history/gardena/faq.html#q5 Gardena Frequently Asked Questions]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20060413081338/http://www.colapublib.org/history/gardena/faq.html#q5 Archive]) [[County of Los Angeles Public Library]]. Retrieved on August 29, 2013.</ref> Beginning in the 1920s, Japanese American organizations, including the ''Moneta Gakuen'', were established continuously around the current JCI site. The ''Moneta Gakuen'' operated a school until the World War II internment.<ref name=GoodmanFocal/>

In 1942 the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] moved the Japanese in Gardena to [[Japanese American internment|internment camps]].<ref name=LAlibraryGardenaFAQ/>

In 1966, for the first time, a [[Nisei]], Kiyoto Ken Nakaoka, was seated on the city council.<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/155446305 Gardena Council Seats Japanese] ." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. April 24, 1966. Centinela-South Bay p. CS1. Retrieved on August 30, 2013. "After 35 years of incorporation this city, with a large Japanese population, has a Nisei on the City Council. Kiyoto K. Nakaoka is first Japanese to be elected to Gardena City[...]"</ref> Nakaoka later became Gardena's mayor in 1972.<ref name=yamamoto>{{citation |last=Yamamoto|first=J.K. |title=Gardena Mayoral Candidate Ikejiri Emphasizes His Experience | newspaper=[[Rafu Shimpo]] |date=March 3, 2017|url=https://rafu.com/2017/03/gardena-mayoral-candidate-ikejiri-emphasizes-his-experience/}}</ref> In 1980, the city was 21% Japanese, and {{as of|1989|lc=yes}}, Japanese residents tended to live in the center and south of the city.<ref name=Goodmancensus/>