Colonia Pinhal is a small village in Brazil with a proud history and immigrant identity with its roots tracing back to Fukui Prefecture.
Situated about 170 kilometers southwest of central Sao Paulo, the village celebrates the 60th anniversary of its opening this year. Fourteen people in three families from Fukui Prefecture first settled there in the 1960s and Colonia Pinhal, also known as "Fukui Village," now has a population of about 1,000, including immigrants from other areas of Japan.
Aiko Taniguchi, a 39-year-old employee of the Fukui Prefectural Government, spent two years as a Japanese language teacher in the community and attended a ceremony in August to commemorate the landmark year. She hopes to make people aware of the village.