Liberdade (Japantown)

Liberdade is São Paulo's historic Japantown, developed by Japanese immigrants from the early 20th century onward and centered on Praça da Liberdade, marked by red torii-style lampposts, Japanese-style paving and shopfronts with kanji signage. The neighborhood is also home to significant Chinese and Korean communities, reflected in the mix of noodle shops, izakayas, dim sum restaurants and Asian grocery stores lining Rua Galvão Bueno and the surrounding streets. The area's biggest draw is the Saturday street fair on Praça da Liberdade, when stalls sell Japanese street food, handicrafts and imported goods to crowds that fill the square from mid-morning into the evening. A relaxed walk through the main square and food streets takes ninety minutes to two and a half hours, longer if stopping to eat at one of the many small restaurants. The neighborhood also holds the Museu da Imigração Japonesa, a small museum on Japanese-Brazilian immigration history, and several Buddhist temples tucked along side streets. Weekday visits give a calmer, more everyday look at the neighborhood's restaurants and shops, while Saturday is by far the liveliest and most photogenic time, with the plaza's lanterns and stalls at their fullest.