Maringá to Host 35th Japanese-Brazilian Festival Drawing 80,000 Visitors

Maringá, Paraná, will host the 35th edition of the Japanese‑Brazilian Festival from 8 to 16 August at the Associação Cultural e Esportiva de Maringá (Acema). Organisers expect around 80 000 visitors over nine days, making it one of the largest cultural events in the state.

The program features four themed areas—culture, gastronomy, art and business—offering Japanese music performances by artists such as Joe Hirata and Eduardo Kanto, traditional dances (Taikô, Bon Odori, Yosakoi Soran), cosplay contests, free workshops and a special exhibition on former local footballer Alex Santos, who played for Japan in two World Cups. A three‑thousand‑square‑metre food pavilion, run by volunteers from Acema, Wajunkai, Seicho‑No‑Ie and the Nishi Hongwanji temple, will serve Japanese and other ethnic cuisines, with all proceeds supporting the participating institutions. Sponsors include Sem Parar, Sicredi Dexis, Cocamar, Unimed Maringá and the municipal government.