Renowned LA Artist Robert Vargas’New Mural
Artist Robert Vargas and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Torrance to Unveil New Mural Titled “Samurai of the Diamond” Featuring Japanese-Born Dodgers Players Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Renowned LA Muralist Robert Vargas has designed and will paint the mural to honor Japanese culture and its ties to Torrance
LOS ANGELES, February 25, 2026 – The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Torrance, located in the South Bay, will unveil a new mural by Robert Vargas featuring Japanese-born Dodgers players, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The mural will honor the partnership between Torrance – which was officially named the Friendship City to Oshu, Japan – and the dedication to Japanese culture that these players share with the community.
Artist Robert Vargas will be holding a press conference to introduce the mural to the city at the DoubleTree by Hotel Torrance (21333 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 9050) at 10am PST on Friday, March 1, 2026, with plans to unveil the finished mural titled “Samurai of the Diamond” on March 24, 2026.
“This is not just another mural, or even another tribute to the Dodgers. This mural is about these ambassadors of Japan that came here to Los Angeles and brought greatness, and shared their culture with our city. As the Friendship City to Oshu, which is Ohtani’s hometown in Japan, Torrance has a mission to foster cultural, educational, and economic ties, including youth baseball exchanges. In addition, Torrance has one of the highest concentrations of Japanese in North America, so it’s a full circle moment,” said Vargas.
The mural comes as a follow up to Vargas’s beloved piece featuring Shohei Ohtani at the The Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles in March 2024.
For more information, follow Robert Vargas.
About Robert Vargas
Robert Vargas is a contemporary artist known for his mixed- media portraits, murals, and live events. Los Angeles native and visual artist, Vargas is a leading creative force in the revitalization of Downtown LA’s art scene. His paintings and drawings infuse classic genres of portraiture with an avant-garde explosivity that not only captures the visage and likeness of his subjects, but seem to excavate the intimate aspects of their character.
