Praça do Japão, Public square in Curitiba, Brazil

Praça do Japão is a public square in Curitiba, Brazil, designed as a Japanese garden with cherry trees, lakes, and cultural buildings. It covers a wooded area and features a Buddha sculpture, a stone lantern, and spaces for Japanese arts and literature.

The square was built between 1958 and 1962 to honor Japanese immigrants who began arriving in 1910. A major renovation in 1993 added the Japanese Portal and the Immigration Memorial, and later the Tomie Ohtake Space opened in 2018.

The square is a living tribute to Japanese culture, where locals practice origami, ikebana, and haiku in the cultural houses. The cherry trees, sent from Japan, bloom in winter and draw crowds for hanami picnics.

The square is easy to explore on foot, with paths winding around the lakes and gardens. Visitors can combine a stroll with a visit to the library or cultural houses, which are open during regular hours.

The red steel sculpture by Tomie Ohtake stands seven meters tall and was installed in 2018, three years after the artist's death. The stone lantern was a gift from the Hyogo assembly in 1979, symbolizing the bond between Paraná and that Japanese region.