CULTURAL FESTIVAL | Festa do Japão | Belém | FREE

There is a very, very long history between Japan and Portugal. In fact, Portuguese explorers were the first European traders to ever set foot in the country back in 1543. There is also a lot of back and forth between the languages, with a whole host of Japanese words coming from Portuguese and vice versa — including Saturday (sabato),  cup (koppu), and tempura (peixinhos da horta, anyone?).

Now you can experience it all for yourself at a festival celebrating everything Japanese, from traditional ceremonies and dancing to food and cosplay. There is a lineup of acts to watch from 14h to 22h, which can be seen here, as well as tents to wander in and out of in beautiful Belem. According to the organizers, they plan “to celebrate the friendship and culture between Japan and Portugal” by recreating the “environment of ‘Matsuri’.”

So whether you’re from igirisu, oranda, or Portugal, don your kappa just in case, and get yourself to this cultural extravaganza!