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When in São Paulo, Brazil, it’s great to hop on the Metrô to Liberdade, home of the biggest Japanese community outside of Japan.
History
In the 19th century, the area was used for the execution of slaves and convicts, and received its name because death was considered the only path to liberty (liberdade). The Japanese started moving in in 1912, thanks to affordable rent and a good central location. Chinese and Korean immigrants were also attracted to Liberdade and have built a presence of their own.
Galvão Bueno Street
Galvão Bueno Street (Rua Galvão Bueno) is one of the main streets running through Liberdade. It was decorated with Japanese arches and there were several shops selling goods from Asia. A few Japanese and Chinese restaurants were mixed in, and I also got to see some interesting street art.
Museum of Japanese Immigration
The Museum of Japanese Immigration (Museu da Imigração Japonesa) is located in the neighborhood. It’s open daily except Mondays from 10am to 5pm and adult admission is R$16 (as of May 2024). Admission is free every Wednesday.
Busshinji Temple
There’s also the Busshinji Temple (Templo Busshinji), a Buddhist temple built in 1995. It belongs to the Sōtō Zen sect, which is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism. Unfortunately it was closed when we walked by.
