Christoph Sponsel - The Japan Times

September 22, 2025

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Christoph Sponsel

"Shake hands with Lima-chan," a statue that shares the name of the Peruvian capital looks in the direction of Peru, where a sister statue, "Sakura-chan," is located. Erected in Yokohama's Rinko Park in 1999, it commemorates Peruvian-Japanese friendship.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / Longform

Sep 22, 2025

The journey of Peru’s Nikkei: Finding identity in Japan

From sugar plantations in Peru to factory floors in Japan, the Nikkei story is one of migration, resilience and identity.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

"Shake hands with Lima-chan," a statue that shares the name of the Peruvian capital looks in the direction of Peru, where a sister statue, "Sakura-chan," is located. Erected in Yokohama's Rinko Park in 1999, it commemorates Peruvian-Japanese friendship.

The journey of Peru’s Nikkei: Finding identity in Japan

By Christoph Sponsel

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