At the foot of the eastern wall of the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo, hundreds of Dodger fans gathered this morning to celebrate the unveiling of the newest mural by Boyle Heights-based artist Robert Vargas.
Lowriders proudly displayed Dodger blue paint jobs, families dressed their newborns in hometown baseball merchandise, and fans of all ages buzzed with excitement as the blue tarp covering the mural fluttered in the wind.
Taiko drummers begin the ceremony in Little Tokyo Wednesday. Photo by Andrew Lopez. 
Dodger fans sporting matching Ohtani jerseys at the event Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Andrew Lopez. 
Several lowriders were showcased in Little Tokyo the day of the mural unveiling. Photo by Andrew Lopez. 
A man watches the festivities outside of his window along 1st St. Photo by Andrew Lopez.
The larger-than-life mural towers over 328 1st St., just over a mile from Robert Vargas Square in Boyle Heights, the intersection at 1st and State Streets dedicated to the muralist who has painted around the globe. Vargas said he was honored to contribute his work, dubbed “L.A. Rising,” to the team’s history and to welcome Shohei Ohtani to the City of Angels.
“I’m painting an icon and somebody who hopefully will be the missing piece that delivers another championship to Los Angeles,” Vargas said.
Vargas depicts Ohtani twice in the artwork, pitching a ball in one scene and bracing for a home run, bat in hand, in the other. He freehanded the mural on the side of the Miyako Hotel, a first for the Little Tokyo structure that overlooks Boyle Heights and the Eastside. It was done without a grid, projections or help from any other painters.
The local muralist noted the significance of producing a massive piece of art so close to the community he was born in.
Growing up in Boyle Heights, I grew up on a street called City View Avenue. And from my front porch, I could see the Downtown LA skyline. And from my back porch, I can see Dodger Stadium. So being able to kind of marry those two childhood memories to create this piece and have this piece facing the Eastside, where I know many Dodger fans are, means a whole lot.
Robert Vargas
Vargas said the surface of the wall was extremely porous, making painting with a brush difficult. But despite inclement weather, Vargas finished the piece in about ten days, surprising friend Butch Kadomatsu.
Wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word “Vargas” in Dodger font style, Kadomatsu attended the unveiling to support his close friend’s achievement.
“He was born and grew up in Boyle Heights. He was tight with the Japanese community, geographic-wise, and he has a respect for the Japanese community and always wanted to give back to it,” Kadomatsu said.
Ohtani, the Japan-born pitcher and the newest addition to the Dodger roster, begins his career in Los Angeles tomorrow. The 29-year-old superstar is the highest-paid player in MLB history in a record-setting trade with the Angels in December, securing a $700 million ten-year contract.
“This is humongous for Little Tokyo and for the Miyako Hotel, of course,” said Elaine Harada, decked out in her Dodger gear. “It’s going to bring more activity, more foot traffic, and hopefully more business into our community.”
Vargas, who visited Little Tokyo a lot while growing up, said that the mural on 1st St. bridges the Japanese cultural hub of Los Angeles with his own, Mexican-American one across the 1st St. bridge.
“The inspiration for this mural really comes down to unity, bridging cultures, and representation. The mural’s really been able to speak to the greater Los Angeles area where everyone feels like they’re a part of this mural,” Vargas said. “So I’m really looking forward to the people who are from all different parts of the city that will come here to look at this mural and, and feel a sense of city pride.”
As the blue tarp dropped Wednesday morning, fans cheered with excitement to see the face of their newest Dodger.
A QR code at the base of the mural allows passersby to see the artwork come to life in augmented reality, something Vargas has experimented with once before. On their phones, viewers can see the mural Ohtani swing into motion, hear the crack of the bat, and hear the voice of the beloved late Vin Scully say, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”
Lately, it’s hard for fans of the newest Dodger to ignore the latest controversy surrounding the Japanese-born pitcher. Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was found to have been stealing funds from the player to settle gambling debts, which Ohtani claimed to have no knowledge about during a Tuesday press conference.
Vargas felt confident that the controversy was just a minor bump in the pitcher’s road to an otherwise successful and memorable career playing with the Dodgers.
“He’s going to be fine. I have 100% faith and confidence in him as a person and a player. I think that’s why Los Angeles is so happy and lucky to have him because he brings so much more to the sport,” Vargas said in an interview over lunch in Little Tokyo. “And if anything, I think that the timing of this mural now, after that little hiccup, is a unifying thing for Los Angeles and for Dodger nation.”
The Dodgers will face the St. Louis Cardinals tomorrow at Dodger Stadium to kick off the regular 2024 season.