GREATEST: Little Tokyo Table Tennis
How a Downtown LA community center gave birth to one of the city's coolest new sports clubs.
Every Tuesday night, something special happens in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles: hundreds of young people gather downtown at the Terasaki Budokan Community Center to play table tennis. Hosted by the Little Tokyo Table Tennis club, these evenings are nothing like your typical sporting events; loud music mixes with laughter, chatter and a cacophony of ping pong balls bouncing in every direction, while people crowd around tables to watch matches or hunt down free spots for a game. Much more about taking part than playing like a pro, the infectious energy of LTTT has seen the club grow exponentially since its DIY beginnings in 2020, when it was founded by Jiro Maetsu as an inclusive space to let loose and have fun with the sport. “It's a special three hours every week,” he says. “Once you step over that threshold, your ego vanishes, and that’s the same for everyone. It's an energy that comes from understanding that this is a place where you can let go of everything.”
Maetsu is best known as the designer behind emerging LA-based label Poche Studio, which was first launched in 2015 with womenswear, then rebooted in 2019 to focus solely on beautifully offbeat, sustainably crafted hats. The Japanese-American French creative, who spent his youth living between Paris and California, only started playing table tennis three years ago, when he and his friends began casually hitting up ping pong clubs in LA. “At first, we were just getting into playing and feeling the freedom of the game. We didn't take it that seriously,” he says. “Then we slowly learned about how massive of a culture it is in Asia. It became something that allowed us to connect to our identities.”
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
Through my friend and LTTT founder Jiro.
What keeps you coming back?
The beautiful sound of bouncing ping pong balls!
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
Bustling. Sweaty. Cute.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
As a kid born in China, it’s something I’ve always known. Legend has it my uncle is an amazing table tennis player but I’ve yet to see the man in action.
Describe the feeling of a win.
Like everything is going to be ok.
What makes the LTTT community special?
LTTT is so warm and friendly. I see smiles filling up the room every time I walk into Terasaki Budokan.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
My friend Ethan shared it on social, proclaiming that no one could beat him at table tennis. That certainly caught my attention, leading to my arrival the following Tuesday.
What keeps you coming back?
The friendly competition and opportunity to improve. Those three hours of table tennis make you forget about any outside stressors. It’s like a dream you wish would never end.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
No matter your skill level, you’ll surely leave having had a good time, and maybe having made some new friends. It’s both approachable and exciting.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
Playing with my friends in high school in the rec room, using paddles with no rubber. Little did I know how the use of spin can completely change how the game is played.
Describe the feeling of a win.
Like giving your brain a warm hug.
What makes the LTTT community special?
Even with LTTT growing larger every week, it continues to feel like a tight-knit family.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
I discovered LTTT through my partner, Rashaun. He's always thinking about table tennis and his joy and excitement intrigued me.
What keeps you coming back?
I kept coming back for the seeds of friendship that bloom in LTTT and our shared goals of improving. Also, the game demands me to be present and focused in the moment, being more aware of my body and less in my head.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
It's for everyone!
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
I remember wanting to try it as a child, but I was really into badminton at the time.
Describe the feeling of a win.
Laughing so hard that my stomach hurts.
What makes the LTTT community special?
The LTTT community is special because everyone feels welcome, whether playing or waiting for tables.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
Back in September 2021, my friend Kyle Pak sent me LTTT's Instagram page and told me to come through. When I finally showed up, months later, I became hooked.
What keeps you coming back?
When I first decided to come to LTTT, I was searching for some form of consistency in my life. My schedule is pretty chaotic and packed, but LTTT became that source of consistency. It’s an event I know happens once a week, and a place where I can see my friends, be part of a community, get a little workout, and feel safe and happy.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
Controlled chaos. You have people playing table tennis at all levels, people eating snacks in the corner, socializing, finishing work on their laptops, trading photo cards and stickers, sometimes there's a puppy running around. There's so much happening inside of that gym, but it all somehow makes sense.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
I grew up hearing stories about how my dad and uncles used to play table tennis competitively, but I never saw them actually play. It took a family vacation to Vietnam 10 years ago for my cousins and I to see my dad and uncle in action; it was such a crazy sight to see. There are still remnants of my dad's table tennis glory days around the house, and almost every morning when the weather outside is cold, he'll wear this blue-and-yellow windbreaker, which I found out recently is actually a Butterfly jacket!
Describe the feeling of a win.
To be honest, I usually rally with my friends as opposed to playing actual matches, but whenever I do make a point, it's the most exciting thing.
What makes the LTTT community special?
LTTT has formed a beautiful community through table tennis. Everyone is invited. Table tennis might have brought us together, but the community is so strong because of the human connection and experience of it all. I don't know of anything else like this in Los Angeles.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
My boyfriend Jonny told me about Jiro starting a table tennis club. It’s been really cool to see it turn into something bigger.
What keeps you coming back?
At first, I wasn’t really interested in table tennis, but my friends are crazy about playing and I eventually gave in. Now I love playing and hanging out with the people at LTTT.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
The energy of LTTT is powerful, joyful and creative. People bring their friends and those friends bring theirs. I love seeing everyone’s fun table tennis outfits, and I love seeing people teaching each other and forming new friendships.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
My first vivid memory is of my boyfriend playing. He was so into it and he kept asking me to come and play with him. Honestly, I never thought that I would become so invested in ping pong because of how competitive he and his friends were, but I’m glad I picked up the paddle.
Describe the feeling of a win.
It’s super exciting to win, but with every win I always realize there is so much more to learn. Every game serves as motivation for me to practice more.
What makes the LTTT community special?
It’s a unique place where a wide range of people converge and have an experience that transcends ping pong. The youthful and creative energy of LTTT is truly unmatched, and I feel like it’s something that can happen only in Los Angeles.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
I watched Jiro grow LTTT from the start. Jiro and I, along with two other friends, started playing table tennis together about three years ago at a local tennis table club. Over the years, we would visit various clubs in LA and the San Gabriel Valley and encounter regional table tennis communities with their own unique cultures and personalities.
What keeps you coming back?
It‘s always awesome to see friends and experience table tennis outside of the usual competitive environment.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
Familial. I love seeing people at LTTT nights hanging out in the bleachers laughing together.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
My earliest and fondest memory is the period when Jiro, Kyle, Steven and I spent all day playing table tennis in Jiro’s backyard during lockdown. We quite literally spent time together from eight in the morning—sometimes earlier—until sundown, hanging out and honing our games. It felt like we were children again on summer break.
Describe the feeling of a win.
For me, table tennis is sort of like chess. I’m obviously happy when I win, especially against a higher rated player, but win or lose, I think it’s more about constantly figuring out ways to improve my table tennis IQ and enjoying that journey.
What makes the LTTT community special?
LTTT captures and amplifies the love the four of us felt in the backyard during lockdown. It‘s amazing to see large crowds enjoying themselves playing the sport that means so much to me.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
I discovered LTTT through following Poche.
What keeps you coming back?
My newfound addiction to table tennis. And because LTTT provides a space for me and my friends to meet up, put work and our schedules aside, and immerse ourselves in this sport and enjoy each other's company. Tuesdays are sacred!
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
The energy at LTTT is light-hearted and liberating. There’s no pressure to be a certain skill level, because it's not so much about being good as it is about taking part.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
My earliest memory of table tennis wasn't of me playing, but of my dad telling me stories about when he used to play as a child. I remember him telling me about how he'd set up a coffee table against a wall in his childhood home in Hong Kong so that he could practice his serves.
Describe the feeling of a win.
Very similar to how it feels to chew mint-flavored 5 Gum.
What makes the LTTT community special?
For me, it doesn't actually have anything to do with table tennis. I feel like LTTT has created an environment for people who may have felt like outcasts to find a sense of belonging.
How did you discover LTTT Tuesdays?
I’m Jiro’s sister.
What keeps you coming back?
What began as a sister’s support quickly evolved into a deep affection for the community and a strong desire to win.
How would you describe the energy of LTTT nights?
Sweaty and lively. A joy that knows no boundaries. Whenever competitiveness arises, it’s rooted in support for each other—you can only keep going if everyone plays together.
What’s your earliest table tennis memory?
Watching Jiro play ping pong and finding it boring. Now it’s exciting and I get to play, too.
Describe the feeling of a win.
Very satisfying.
What makes the LTTT community special?
I’ve made some of my closest friendships through this place. The beauty of LTTT is that it doesn’t end in the gym, it has expanded and reached out to many corners of our lives whether it be working together, singing karaoke or cooking for each other. The community feels natural, like it was always intended for us to play ping pong every Tuesday together.