The Karate Kid is a martial arts drama that was released in 1984. The film starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi. The movie was a big success, leading to a number of sequels, a remake, and a follow-up TV series, Cobra Kai.
The Karate Kid was filmed in the Los Angeles area. The house used as Mr. Miyagi’s home and dojo was located at 20924 Gault Street in Canoga Park. It was demolished many years ago, but there are a number of other locations from the movie that still exist.
Daniel LaRusso’s Apartment
When Daniel’s mom decides to move them across the country from New Jersey to California, they move into a small apartment building. The building is named the South Seas Apartments, and is located at 19223 Saticoy Street in Reseda.
Typical of apartments in LA, this building consists of a number of apartments surrounding a courtyard area. There is a pool in the middle. Please note I was given special permission to enter the building and take these photos. You should not trespass and only view the building from the street. You can check out my suggested guidelines for visiting locations here.
The Cobra Kai Dojo
There are two different buildings which portray the Cobra Kai dojo in the film. The first one is located at 5411 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Directly across the road is the “Orient Express” restaurant where Daniel and his mother were dining when he first notices the dojo.
The second dojo was filmed at 5223 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, but I haven’t had a chance to visit that one yet.
The Beach
Scenes from the beach party were filmed at Leo Carrillo Beach in Malibu. It’s located at 35000 Pacific Coastal Highway. There is a nearby parking lot as well as limited parking along the side of the highway.
Don’t forget to check out my pages featuring locations from The Karate Kid Part III as well as Cobra Kai.
