Brazil Tomonkai

About the Brazil Tomonkai

Oi! Tudo bem? (Hi, how are you?) We casually greet each other like this in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, and this is where the Brazil Tomonkai is based. During the 1950s when the postwar Japanese immigration begun, Waseda alumni gradually started gathering and enjoyed playing baseball games with the Mitakai. In 1977, the Brazil Tomonkai was formally inaugurated with the late Teruo Wakabayashi as Chairperson and 122 members in all. Brazil is a huge country, which spans approximately 4,300 kilometers both north to south and east to west and is 22.5 times as large as Japan. Currently, the Brazil Tomonkai has 144 members, who are Japanese immigrants to Brazil who came on a government program which continued until the 1970s, expatriates of Japanese companies, other immigrants, volunteers, and international students. The age of the members varies greatly, ranging from seniors who are almost 90 years old to students in their 20s.

Our main activities include the annual general assembly, Waseda-Keio baseball games, tennis matches, and golf competitions held every year, welcome parties held when Waseda-related people come to Brazil, and other everyday gatherings. Also, we are always enjoying friendship with the Mitakais in Brazil, and we are expanding our exchanges with them while mutually working hard to achieve higher goals, maintaining our good relationships as both rivals and friends.

If you live in Brazil but have not become a member of the Brazil Tomonkai, or if you ever come to Brazil, please let us know.
Yasuhiro Aida (Graduated in 1954, School of Science and Engineering)

The attractive points of Brazil

Brazil is a country whose land area is 22.5 times as large as Japan and where rich nature and people of various races coexist. Just like the land size of Brazil, its attractiveness is so extensive that no words can fully describe it.

One of such attractive points is the abundance of nature and a wide range of food. We can enjoy a variety of natural landscapes including the Amazon River and tropical rain forests in the north, and the Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall in the world, located on the border with Argentina. There is a variety of food here, and we can buy fruits that are not readily available in Japan such as mangos, papayas, and guavas at reasonable and affordable prices.

Another attractive point is its cheerful and kind people. Brazilians love to have fun and will often invite you to parties and festivals. And they are kind people who readily offer seats to the elderly.

Furthermore, Brazil has the largest number in the world of people of Japanese origin. There are many Japanese food shops and restaurants, and we can find many billboards written in Japanese throughout the city. The Japan Festival held every July is one of the largest in the world. Though Brazil is on the opposite side of the Earth from Japan, here you can feel close to Japan.
Akiko Arima (Graduated in 2014, School of Human Sciences)

Message from the Chairperson

I am Ichiro Amano, Chairperson of the Brazil Tomonkai. I graduated from the Department of Applied Chemistry in 1970, and came to Brazil to live here when I was 30. It has been 41 years since then. What is special about the Brazil Tomonkai is that there are many members who have immigrated to Brazil and have lived here for a long time. Many seniors who were members of Waseda University Society for the Studies of Migration & Foreign Affairs are members of the Brazil Tomonkai. About 70 long-term residents and about 80 short-term visitors make up the Brazil Tomonkai. Many expatriates love Brazil so much that they change their jobs to stay here. I am one of those people.

The attractive points of Brazil include that people here do not discriminate against others, that the climate in Sao Paulo is very comfortable, that people here trust Japanese people because of the long history of Japanese migration, and that we can enjoy all sorts of Japanese food.

As people do not discriminate against others, there are no organized crimes including terrorism. Of course, the number of robberies, for example, is larger than that of Japan. However, we rarely discriminate against others because of their race. There are families that don’t own a house but enjoy preparing for dinner under a bridge while there are families that enjoy flying to places with their private jets. As we do not compare ourselves with others, everyone is happy. Please come to visit Sao Paulo. The Brazil Tomonkai will welcome you.
Ichiro Amano (Graduated in 1970, School of Science and Engineering)

Messages from the Members

On August 24, 2018, a Kasato-maru Commendation ceremony under the sponsorship of the Memorial Ceremony Committee for the 110th Anniversary of Japan-Brazil Migration was held in Bunkyo Grand Auditorium. From the Tomonkai, Yasuhiro Aida (Graduated in 1954, School of Science and Engineering), the late Hiromi Tani (Graduated in 1964, School of Political Science and Economics), and Yoshiji Wada (Graduated in 1965, School of Political Science and Economics) were given commendations. This commendation, named after the first Japan-Brazil immigrant ship Kasato-maru, is to recognize their significant contributions in developing Japanese society in Brazil or strengthening the relationship between Brazil and Japan. On December 5, the Consul General’s Commendation ceremony was held, and Misao Adachi (Graduated in 1975, School of Political Science and Economics) was given a commendation. On the next day, December 6, an Autumn Conferment of Decoration ceremony was held at the Japanese Consul General’s residence in Sao Paulo, and Chiaki Ishii (Graduated in 1964, School of Education) was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays (Kyokujitsu Tanko Sho). Pictures of the ceremonies are shown below.
Misao Adachi (Graduated in 1975, School of Political Science and Economics)

On August 1, 2018, 34 members of Waseda University Baseball Club came to Brazil at the invitation of the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Federation to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil. What impressed us was not only that they showed us wonderful plays but that the players were willing to come to celebrate the anniversary at their own cost. The baseball club played 10 games in five cities, and they won all of the games. In each baseball stadium, they played two games: first against the local all-star team, and then against the Brazil all-star team. Between the games, local ladies served the team members lunch, and the members had a very good time.
Hiroyoshi Tomita (Graduated in 1963, School of Law)

At the Brazil Tomonkai, we hold every year Waseda-Keio baseball games, tennis matches, and golf competitions with the Sao Paulo Mitakai. In 2018, we won twice (baseball and tennis) and tied once (golf), and we enjoyed more wins than the Mitakai. Through such sports events and the following gatherings, we have been able to enjoy interacting and networking not only among the members of the Tomonkai but also with the members of the Mitakai, regardless of age. Thus, our life in Brazil becomes fulfilling both professionally and personally.
Kiyoharu Ito (Graduated in 1990, School of Political Science and Economics)

Covered in Waseda Gakuho, February 2019, Issue

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