Floating bridges
Across the lakes.
The Japanese Immigration Centennial Park is a park in Mogi das Cruzes, east of São Paulo, opened on 28 June 2008 to mark one hundred years since Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil; the area is home to one of the country's largest Japanese communities. The park covers 215,000 square metres, with four lakes crossed by floating bridges and a museum that tells the story of Japanese immigrants through objects donated by their families. Its architecture and landscaping draw on Japanese culture. Remarkably, the lakes themselves were born from an old sand mine worked in the 1970s: when extraction stopped, groundwater rose and formed them. The park lies within an environmental protection area on the Tietê River floodplain and is run by the city, with a walking track, trails, children's play areas, sports courts and kiosks. Entry is free, making it a calm family outing away from the capital's bustle.
Across the lakes.
Family memories.
The park's story.
Tietê River floodplain, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo state
From an old sand mine, as groundwater rose after mining stopped.