An annex to Gardena, the Moneta region had their own small town servicing Japanese farmers and their families before the war. In 1941, there was a Japanese school, a doctor, a dentist, an optometrist, a sewing school, a seed store, a fertilizer store, a hay dealer, a few listings for hauling services, and produce brokers. The Moneta Japanese Institute, established in 1911, is the predecessor to the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, located at 1964 W. 162nd Street, offering cultural classes and programs for the community.