Pereira Barreto combines a cultural history shaped by Japanese influence with a striking artificial canal and waterside activities. Bon Odori brings together dance and music; museums and monuments tell different aspects of the city’s history. The canal, the beachfront promenade, and the Municipal Aquarium, in turn, put water and nature at the heart of the experience.
Culture and History in Pereira Barreto
Bon Odori has been celebrated in Pereira Barreto since 1961. It is considered one of the most important symbols of preserving Japanese culture in the interior of São Paulo state and one of the largest cultural events in the state’s northwest. Every year, the festival attracts hundreds of tourists and brings together dance, music, and a family-friendly celebration. Everyone can join the circle dances, accompanied by the rhythm of Japanese drums. Decorative lanterns and traditional costumes are also part of the festival. A food area run by the community offers typical Oriental cuisine.
The Museu Histórico da Colonização de Pereira Barreto tells the story of the former Fazenda Tietê, small-scale rural trade, the settlement of the Japanese colony, and the founding of the city through historical photographs. The grounds also include an arena used for sumo, an animal-drawn cart from the 1950s donated by the Kayama family, and a steam engine made in 1930 to pump water from the well at the Estação Ferroviária de Lussanvira. There is also a work by artist James Kudo. The Associação Cultural Esportiva Pereira-barretense (ACEP) made the grounds available in 2008.
The monuments also offer their own perspectives. GO-JU-NO-TO is a symbol of Japanese colonization. Risaburo Murai, from the Japanese colony, built it in September 1958; it stands in Praça da Bandeira Comendador Jorge Tanaka. Its roof has five tiers, symbolizing earth, water, fire, wind, and air. Murai also built the Relógio 4 Faces in 1958, for the city’s 30th anniversary. Locally, the clock is also called Relojão and is considered a landmark of Japanese immigration. The 2.50-meter-high Obelisco de Pedra on Avenida Benedito Jorge Coelho welcomes visitors at one of the entrances to the town. Its high-relief carvings depict a worker, a fisherman, and a tourist, as well as representations of culture, art, and dance.
Canal, Water, and Routes
Pereira Barreto’s artificial canal, 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 canal is described as the world’s second-largest artificial freshwater canal. It is 9,600 meters long and 50 meters wide, and its depth is 12 or 8 meters, depending on the water level.
Visitors can travel along the canal by boat and motorboat, taking in the nature along the entire route; sport fishing is also possible. Boat trips with lock passage are available on the Rio Tietê. A 25-meter-high concrete lock was built between Andradina and Pereira Barreto for navigation between the northern and southern branches of the Hidrovia Tietê-Paraná.
The municipal cycling and walking path runs along Rodovia Padre Valentim Felipe Stefanoni, from Porto Intermodal to Praia Municipal Pôr-do-Sol. At the beach, visitors can walk along the entire beachfront promenade; there is a playground for children. At the Municipal Aquarium on Praia Municipal Pôr-do-Sol, visitors can observe regional fish species such as Tucunaré and Pacu, as well as ornamental fish such as carp and other species from different parts of Brazil. A visit offers a range of perspectives: city history at the museum and monuments, the waterscape and activities along the canal, and walks at Praia Municipal.
Market and Events Calendar
At the intersection of Jonas Alves de Mello and Brasil streets, Feira da Lua offers fish, cheese, traditional country sweets, Japanese cuisine, pastries, fruit, and other foods, as well as handicrafts. Pereira Barreto’s events calendar includes the Campeonato Brasileiro de Jet Ski, the Torneio de Pesca Esportiva, and the Travessia a Nado do Canal, among others. Event dates may change. If you want to plan your trip around one of these events, check the relevant dates in advance.
Discover more destinations: Indiaporã, Santa Clara d'Oeste, Osvaldo Cruz, Novais, Itanhaém, Lavrinhas, Tupã, Paraguaçu Paulista
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