The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center is a five-story building designed by Kazumi Adachi, Kiyoshi Sawano, and Hideo Matsunaga. The one-acre brick-paved plaza was designed by Los Angeles Native, Isamu Noguchi. "This plaza, a gift from the City of Los Angeles to the people of Little Tokyo, was designed by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) and dedicated on July 26, 1983. Crowning the plaza is the monumental sculpture by Noguchi, entitled "To the Issei" as a tribute to the first generation of Japanese who immigrated to America. To the Issei , by Isamu Noguchi "Organizing the plaza as a focal point, To the Issei venerates the founders of the Japanese American community with two 12' long basalt rocks that harken back in material and form to traditional Japanese rock compositions. One rock lies horizontal, suggesting repose, and the other, standing upright but slightly tilted to form a diagonal line that is a Japanese symbol for mankind, evokes heroic power. ...