São Paulo vs. Tokyo
Being someone from a really big city, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between São Paulo and Tokyo. Obviously, they are both really big, and consequently crowded and sometimes messy. But, besides that, there is a really interesting connection between the two.
The Japanese arrived in Brazil 97 years ago, motivated by the end of slavery and the need for workers in the country. They were told that it was the 'promised land' and each one of them would have a piece of it, but when they arrived they were sent to the coffee farms to work in poor conditions for almost no money. So, they united and started to work together on their own, implementing their Oriental agriculture knowledge, which wasfurtherr advanced than Brazil's at the time.
The peak of their immigration was in 1929 (after the stocks crashed on Wall Street and everyone was in a recession), and it ended during World War II.
Anybody who goes to São Paulo quickly notices the Japanese influence. It's a part of our food, our beliefs, and a part of our culture. We were introduced to Martial Arts and Ping Pong, and have had many champions in all areas (judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, etc...). All the big telecommunications and electronics companies in Brazil are Japanese. We love origami, ikebana, kimonos, Shodo (japanese caligraphy), Noh, etc... Also, you could easily go to the Liberdade District (the Japanese neighborhood) and have sushi and Japanese or Oriental massage lessons. Karaoke bars are all over the place and they always have signs by the entrance written in Japanese.
On the other hand, the Japanese absolutely love our soccer. For nearly 20 years young Japanese players have been sent to Brazil to play and practice with us. Brazilians are the biggest number of foreign players on the J-league (Japanese soccer league), and Japan's current national team coach is Zico, one of Brazil's best players of all time.
So, for me, walking on the streets of Tokyo in a way felt like walking in the crowded São Paulo, full of people from all over the place. It really made me feel at home. Being a daughter of foreigners (my dad was born in Italy, my mom in Chile), I never paid much attention to the Japanese influence over there, but I've always been open to new cultures. Going to Japan made me realize how close we are and how many contributions they gave to us in the last 97 years.
Arigato and kisses for all;
Amanda
pictures: Shibuya (Tokyo), Tokyo Tower, São Paulo (Ibirapuera)
The Japanese arrived in Brazil 97 years ago, motivated by the end of slavery and the need for workers in the country. They were told that it was the 'promised land' and each one of them would have a piece of it, but when they arrived they were sent to the coffee farms to work in poor conditions for almost no money. So, they united and started to work together on their own, implementing their Oriental agriculture knowledge, which wasfurtherr advanced than Brazil's at the time.
The peak of their immigration was in 1929 (after the stocks crashed on Wall Street and everyone was in a recession), and it ended during World War II.
Anybody who goes to São Paulo quickly notices the Japanese influence. It's a part of our food, our beliefs, and a part of our culture. We were introduced to Martial Arts and Ping Pong, and have had many champions in all areas (judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, etc...). All the big telecommunications and electronics companies in Brazil are Japanese. We love origami, ikebana, kimonos, Shodo (japanese caligraphy), Noh, etc... Also, you could easily go to the Liberdade District (the Japanese neighborhood) and have sushi and Japanese or Oriental massage lessons. Karaoke bars are all over the place and they always have signs by the entrance written in Japanese.
On the other hand, the Japanese absolutely love our soccer. For nearly 20 years young Japanese players have been sent to Brazil to play and practice with us. Brazilians are the biggest number of foreign players on the J-league (Japanese soccer league), and Japan's current national team coach is Zico, one of Brazil's best players of all time.
So, for me, walking on the streets of Tokyo in a way felt like walking in the crowded São Paulo, full of people from all over the place. It really made me feel at home. Being a daughter of foreigners (my dad was born in Italy, my mom in Chile), I never paid much attention to the Japanese influence over there, but I've always been open to new cultures. Going to Japan made me realize how close we are and how many contributions they gave to us in the last 97 years.
Arigato and kisses for all;
Amanda
pictures: Shibuya (Tokyo), Tokyo Tower, São Paulo (Ibirapuera)
posted by Mustang Sally at
10:43 PM
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