While walking down San Pedro to the newly-opened multeepurpose café in Little Tokyo (where I am typing this post) I happened to spot the new Hongwanji Place nested in the Teramachi housing complex.
SDDSTL Hongwanji Place is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Southern District Dharma School Teachers’ League. It was formed in 1985 (initially as SDDSTL Special Projects) to provide Jodo Shinshu and other Buddhist traditions materials, such as books, Obon odori media, gifts, nenju (ojuzu), nenju (ojuzu) repair, butsudans and novelty items to the Sangha.
I assumed it had closed and it was quite nice to see it’s still there. It’s a great place to buy a Dharma gift whether in person or by correspondence. As gifts go, I’m generally one to buy my friends a simple nenju.