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100 Years of the Japanese in Brazil: Part I Posted by on Jun 9, 2008 in Culture

This year marks the centennial of the arrival of the first boat of Japanese immigrants in Brazil, which started a wave of immigration. Brazil is now the home of the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.

Let’s take a look at the legacy of the Japanese in Brazil to see how they’ve contributed to Brazilian culture and society, based on VEJA magazine’s A-Z list:

  • Aji-no-moto, a Japanese spice now used frequently in Brazilian recipes
  • Bean sprouts, known as moyashi, which are very popular in Brazilian salads
  • Cherry trees, which are grown especially in São Paulo
  • Chinelos (flip-flops), known as zori, inspired the world-famous Havaiana brand
  • Green belt of São Paulo, the largest agricultural belt in the country started by Japanese immigrants
  • Gateball, a cricket-like game played by 15,000 in Brazil
  • Hashi (chopsticks), called palitinhos in Portuguese
  • Karaoke, with 117 karoake bars alone in São Paulo
  • Mestiços (Portuguese) which means people of mixed race, since 27% of Japanese descendants are now of mixed descent
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