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The reason why the city of Oizumi became “Brazilian town” (Portuguese)

(Portuguese)

I believe it's due to ... well, to that support from city hall. Ya know, for the city. All this support that … Like, they really help out a lot the Brazilians here, so they can ... set up the best Brazilian [establishments] here – the best stores, schools, everything, so with all this going on ... there’s this ease [for Brazilians]. So, with all this is going on, I believe the Brazilians ... they come over here to live permanently because nowadays we’ve got everything here, in the city, know what I mean? ... Especially the school, as so many states [prefectures] don’t have Brazilian schools, so … Those who have a family want – prefer living in Oizumi or in the area, ya know, because ... everything is easier here; you really feel like you’re in a city, and Japan is a safe country and all that, a safe country, ya know ... [And as a result of] all this infrastructure connected by Brazilians, the number of stores has increased a whole lot ... Tourism [has increased as well], like, every month, in the square nearby ... Every month they have … “typical” dishes for foreigners, and that’s interesting, too, and then in ... August – there’s a mardi gras [celebration] in August ... They even close down the street ... They have samba players, everything, ya know? So, all of this has been catching on; I think [it has become popular] at least in ... in Japan, see, because it’s very well known, the city of Oizumi.


Brazil Gunma Prefecture Japan Nikkei in Japan Oizumi

Date: October 19, 2016

Location: Gunma, Japan

Interviewer: Shigeru Kojima

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Antonio Shinkiti Shikota was born on September 12, 1962, in the city of Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil. His parents were born in Japan. Wanting to start his own business, he followed a friend’s advice and went to Japan. Initially, he worked as a factory worker and ended up liking it so he stayed in the country. Today, he lives in the city of Oizumi and he is the owner of an itinerant Brazilian products store in Japan. The itinerant store is a truck that offers a variety of Brazilian products directed mainly at the Nikkei public. Antonio is very fond of living in Japan and the city of Oizumi. (February 2018) 

Michie Akama
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Michie Akama

Reasons for immigrating to Brazil (Japanese)

Issei, Pioneer of women's education in Brazil

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Michie Akama
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Michie Akama

Opening a Japanese-style all-girls' school in Brazil (Japanese)

Issei, Pioneer of women's education in Brazil

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Celia Oi
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Celia Oi

Brazilian of Japanese descents (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Celia Oi
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Celia Oi

Japan's impact on the image of Nikkei in Brazil (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Celia Oi
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Celia Oi

Change in sense of Nikkei Brazilian identity over time (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Celia Oi
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Celia Oi

Nikkei community concentrated in São Paulo (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Celia Oi
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Celia Oi

Changing life styles of successive generations (Portuguese)

Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

Moved to Japan as my dekasegi father called on me (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

Facing hardships in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

The difference between Nikkei community in Oizumi and Brazil (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

Change in community after the collapse of Lehman Brothers (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

From being a dekasegi to a long-term resident (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

Challenges of Brazilian community in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

Change of identity (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Paulo Issamu Hirano

The term Nikkei (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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