Buenas tardes!
Let’s Learn about the “Countries” in Shinagawa!

Consul-General Jorge Jallo Sandoval

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to tell Shinagawa residents about the culture of Peru through events such as sports and summer festivals in Shinagawa City. It is also nice to have a Peruvian restaurant and a supermarket that carries Peruvian/South American foodstuffs near the consulate. Such places provide great venues for exchanges between Peruvians living in Japan and city residents.
Peru is basically divided into 3 regions with different climates and cultures. Costa is how we refer to the coastal/desert areas, which are home to history and heritage, as is evident in the architectural influence of Spain from the days of Spanish settlement. The capital city, Lima, is located in Costa. The Andean mountainous region of Sierra features many ruins of the Inca Empire, such as Machu Picchu. In Selva, jungle covers much of the Amazon River area. Each region has developed its own culture and cuisine, and our country takes pride in all of them. There are also many other great tourism mainstays, such as traditional Marinera dancing. I will continue to convey all the charms of Peru and deepen mutual exchange.

Consulate-General of the Republic of Peru in Tokyo (1-13-12 Higashi-Gotanda)

Japan-Peru Friendship Year of 2019

Peru was the first country in South America to accept an influx of Japanese immigrants, and Japanese immigration to Peru began in 1899 with the arrival of a ship called the Sakura Maru. This year marks the 120th anniversary of that event, and has been designated the Japan-Peru Friendship Year of 2019. An observation platform is being erected on the landscape of the Nazca plains with aid from Japan this year. Here in Japan, Gyoda City in Saitama Prefecture hosted a rice field art display depicting the famous Nazca geoglyphs last year. The exchange between our two countries is expanding, including an ancient Andean civilization exhibition touring Japan.

The Nazca and Palpa Lines

Located in the arid southern region of Peru, the Nazca lines are massive geoglyphs drawn on the ground during the Nazca culture period, which lasted for about 800 years. Even today, people still marvel at how and why such images of large geometric patterns, animals, birds, insects and other figures were drawn.

Machu Picchu: A Peruvian Historic Sanctuary

The mysterious “city in the clouds” known as Machu Picchu was reportedly built around the 15th century. The ruins of the city sit atop a mountain at an altitude of 2,280 m. Surrounded by temples, terraced fields and waterways, Machu Picchu was built by combining large stone blocks without the use of mortar. The ruins were discovered in 1911.

City of Cusco

Cusco was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Although Spain conquered the city and destroyed all of its buildings, the solid and highly sophisticated stone structures of the Inca era remained. Spanish architecture was built on top of them. This fusion creates a distinctive landscape.

Historical Lima

Lima is the capital of Peru. The city’s older districts are home to Spanish architecture from the 16th and 17th centuries. There are many places of interest, such as temples and monasteries.

Aji de gallina

Peruvian curry rice using aji chilis and gallina (chicken)

Anticucho

Peruvian soul food: Skewered and grilled beef hearts

Ceviche

A specialty around coastal areas: Seafood salad with lemon juice, vegetables and hot spices