Farewell reception for Chaplin & Kono hosted by the Japanese Society of Los Angeles, January 9th, 1931

Held at the Hamanoya Restaurant in Little Tokyo,* this gathering (I assume) was a sendoff for Chaplin & his assistant, Kono, who were leaving a world tour in less than a month.

Photo courtesy of Gretchen Mittwer. Mittwer's grandfather, Julius, was a distributor for United Artists in Japan (under the black arrow near the right). Chaplin is under the white arrow near the center. Kono is two down from Chaplin on the right.

Actor George Kuwa presents Charlie and Kono with gifts on behalf of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

(Source: Charles Chaplin In Japan by Ono Hiroyuki)

*Chaplin was honored at another party at Hamanoya two years before.