Meet Nobu Yamamoto | Co-Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nobu Yamamoto and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nobu, what principle do you value most?
Perseverance is everything. The most important quality I believe anyone who’s trying to accomplish their goals can have, is perseverance. If you believe in what you want to achieve and how it can benefit society then all you have to do is keep going and work hard and in spite of all of the obstacles you may face, you will make it. Trying to build up Little Akihabara has had its ups and downs, and there have definitely been days that felt defeating, but I never let myself lose hope. Once you lose hope, you lose sight of your goal and you can’t move forward.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I worked for years as a standard salary-man in Japan and sure if I kept working at it I could have climbed the ladder of my company but something was missing. Going through the motions everyday, it wasn’t enough for me. So I took a risk and quit and switched up my fields. I worked with some Japanese animation, and then some Anison production as well in the music publishing business. I enjoyed both but I learned I needed a way that I could bring both of these together to truly feel fulfilled with what I was doing. That’s where Little Akihabara came in.

Starting the business hasn’t been easy, but I think we’re really starting to get some recognition. We have lots of companies from Japan starting to contact us more and more so they can host their own pop-ups after seeing our successes. Many of them had been hesitant to venture into western markets but we’ve worked hard to build our connections and show them the merit of western fans who are so hungry for what they have to offer.

I want people to know that Little Akihabara yes, is the retail shops we have but it’s so much more than that. Little Akihabara offers an experience. We have Pop-ups of things that get fans so excited and they come from all over just to have a taste of it all because that’s how much they love their fandoms and love anime. We host live events in between pop-ups called Akiba Live where we let the community connects through a love of idol culture. Every single one of our performers gives it their all and some of them even make their own Anison and Idol inspired originals! Everyone gets so excited and they take pictures together and buy merchandise to support these individuals and groups. We want fans to see Little Akihabara as a place that they can come together and feel like they’re in Japan, view it as a fun place to meet and enjoy Little Tokyo! By doing so, we hope that people can come and visit surrounding businesses in Little Tokyo and give back to the community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d take them around here so they could see for themselves why we’re so passionate about Little Tokyo as a community. I’d show them the shops and the restaurants. If they’re my friends from Japan I might have to take them to In-n-Out instead of showing them even more japanese food! But even then, I’d really want them to see the streets see all the people that come together and gather for all kinds of reasons.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my business partner Tetsu Shiota. You know, he has been in the business of anime since 1996! I had worked with anime and anime music before but his extensive experience with the retail aspects and knowing Little Tokyo have really helped guide me. He used to own an anime store in Japan but when he brought it here, he really worked hard to make it a successful business that could bring more stability and revitalization to Little Tokyo. He has always had Little Tokyo’s best interest at heart and being able to share that common goal makes all of our ventures possible.

Website: https://littleakihabara.com

Instagram: littleakihabarala

Twitter: @littleakiba_LA

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gashapon-bandai-official-shop-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AkibaLiveOfficial