Pereira Barreto: Japanese Culture and Waterways

Pereira Barreto combines a distinctive history of Japanese immigration with experiences by the water. Bon Odori has been celebrated here since 1961 and is considered one of the most important symbols of preserving Japanese culture in the interior of São Paulo state. The festival brings together dance, music, and communal celebration; every year, it attracts hundreds of tourists and ranks among the largest cultural events in the state’s northwest. Visitors interested in traditions and urban history will find a different travel focus in Pereira Barreto than they would on a stay centered primarily on nature and activities along the canal.

Bon Odori and Japanese Urban History

At Bon Odori, everyone present can join in circle dances accompanied by the rhythm of Japanese drums. Decorative lanterns and traditional costumes are also part of the festival. There is also a food area prepared by the community, featuring typical Oriental cuisine. Music, dance, and food define the festival. You can watch the traditions or join in the circle dances yourself.

The Museu Histórico da Colonização de Pereira Barreto tells the story of the former Fazenda Tietê, simple rural trade, the settlement of the Japanese colony, and the founding of the city through historical photographs. The site also includes an arena used for sumo and an ox cart from the 1950s, donated by the Kayama family. A steam engine manufactured in 1930 was used to pump water up from the well at the Estação Ferroviária de Lussanvira. The site was made available in 2008 by the Associação Cultural Esportiva Pereira-barretense (ACEP).

Other monuments around the city also recall this history. GO-JU-NO-TO was built in September 1958 by Risaburo Murai of the Japanese colony and stands in Praça da Bandeira Comendador Jorge Tanaka. The five tiers of its roof symbolize earth, water, fire, wind, and air. The Relógio 4 Faces, also known locally as Relojão, was built by Murai in 1958 to mark the city’s 30th anniversary and is a landmark of Japanese immigration.

The Obelisco de Pedra on Avenida Benedito Jorge Coelho is 2.50 m high and features high-relief depictions of a worker, a fisherman, and a tourist, as well as representations of culture, art, and dance. It welcomes visitors at one of the town’s entrances. Together with the museum and monuments, it offers another way to explore work, everyday life, and cultural life in Pereira Barreto.

Canal, Walking Paths, and Nature

The Canal Artificial de Pereira Barreto “Deoclécio Bispo dos Santos” connects the Três Irmãos and Ilha Solteira reservoirs via the Rio São José dos Dourados. It enables navigation and integrated power generation from the two rivers. The artificial freshwater canal is 9,600 m long and 50 m wide; its depth is 12 m or 8 m, depending on the water level. It is considered the world’s second-largest artificial freshwater canal.

Boat and motorboat trips are available on the canal, allowing visitors to take in nature along the entire route. Sport fishing is also practiced there. Boat trips with lock passage are available on the Rio Tietê. A 25 m-high concrete lock was built between Andradina and Pereira Barreto to allow navigation between the northern and southern branches of the Hidrovia Tietê-Paraná.

Those who prefer to get around on foot or by bike can use the municipal cycling and walking path on Rodovia Padre Valentim Felipe Stefanoni. It runs from Porto Intermodal to Praia Municipal Pôr-do-Sol. Visitors can walk along the entire waterfront promenade at this beach; there is a playground for children. The Aquário Municipal at Praia Municipal Pôr-do-Sol displays regional fish species such as Tucunaré and Pacu, as well as ornamental fish such as carp and other species from different regions of Brazil.

Local Cuisine and Choosing a Travel Focus

The Feira da Lua brings together a diverse selection in one place at the intersection of Jonas Alves de Mello and Brasil: fish, cheese, traditional country sweets, Japanese cuisine, pastries, fruit and other foods, as well as handicrafts. It complements the communal cuisine of Bon Odori with another glimpse of the city’s culinary offerings.

When choosing a vacation rental in Pereira Barreto, you can base your decision on the focus of your trip: Bon Odori and the historic sites put culture and Japanese traditions in the foreground, while the canal, boat trips, sport fishing, and walks offer a different focus.

More Destinations

If you’d like to discover more destinations, also take a look at Ouroeste, Divinolândia, Guaraci, Indiaporã, Castilho, Ubatuba, Novais, and Rancharia.

For the main travel overview: São Paulo.