Museum of the Japanese Immigration, Sao Paulo

The Museum of Japanese Immigration in Sao Paulo is dedicated to preserving the history of Japanese immigrants in Brazil. It encompasses a wide range of aspects related to the immigrant journey, making it an ideal destination to delve into the history of the largest Japanese community outside Japan.

In the dim corridors, discover artifacts and stories from the Japanese diaspora in Brazil. The museum showcases the valuable contributions of Japanese immigrants to Brazil's agricultural growth, revealing the lives of laborers who turned jungles into plantations.

Exhibits showcase the plants and foods that sustained the immigrants and were used for medicinal purposes, as well as preserved specimens of wildlife they encountered, including the jaguar, giant anteater, and jararaca pit viper, which they learned to fear.

One of the most remarkable displays in the museum is a hauntingly authentic recreation of a typical hut from the 1930s, representing the living conditions of immigrant coffee plantation workers. It features portraits of the Japanese imperial family and a Shinto shrine, evoking a sense of being frozen in time.

While agriculture is a prominent theme, the museum encompasses much more. A vintage photo archive showcases captivating photographs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors can explore medical supplies, agricultural tools, and personal belongings of new immigrants, juxtaposed with traditional kimonos, katanas, and mempō masks.

Additionally, the museum houses documents and weaponry used by Japanese spies during World War II, shedding light on their activities within Brazil. Striking murals and paintings adorn the walls, and poignant stories narrate the community's experiences of racism, discrimination, and internal divisions during and after the war.