The Praça da Liberdade is the centre of Japanese São Paulo, marked by the red torii arches and the suzurantō lantern-style street lamps that signal you have arrived in the neighbourhood. The metro station empties straight onto it, and the streets radiating out — Galvão Bueno and Tomás Gonzaga above all — hold the ramen shops, izakaya, and Japanese grocers that draw most visitors.
The square is busiest on Sundays, when the Feira da Liberdade fills it with food stalls selling yakisoba, takoyaki, gyoza, and sweets, alongside crafts and the odd performance. Come hungry, graze your way around, and then push into the side streets for a proper meal. It is touristy but genuinely rooted in the community that built it.