Japan's Shiga Governor to Visit Brazil for First Time in 25 Years in November

-Visit to Mark 45th Anniversary of Signing Sister-state Relationship, "Bonds of Lakes," with Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul-

OTSU, Japan, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shiga Prefectural Government will dispatch its delegation headed by Shiga Gov. Taizo Mikazuki to Brazil to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the sister-state relationship with Rio Grande do Sul. It will be the first visit to Brazil by a Shiga governor in 25 years.

The delegation consists of approximately 30 people, including the governor, the Shiga Prefectural Assembly chairman and members, as well as business representatives in the prefecture with an interest in Brazil, and representatives of companies that built the "Shiga Park"(*) in the Brazilian state. The group will visit Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul from Tuesday, November 11, 2025.

*It is a Japanese garden called "Shiga Park" (Praca Shiga) donated to the capital of Rio Grande do Sul by the Shiga Prefectural Government in 1983. In the park, there is a Lake Biwa-shaped pond and an artificial hill modeled on Mount Ibuki. The park is called "a small Shiga Prefecture" and is cherished by local people.

Photo of Rio Grande do Sul's delegation during its visit to Shiga Prefecture in 2024: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103190/202510237641/_prw_PI1fl_yW0Qb021.jpg 

History of sister-state exchanges between Shiga Prefecture and Rio Grande do Sul:
Shiga Prefecture is home to Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, while Rio Grande do Sul boasts Brazil's largest lake, Lagoa dos Patos. This "lake connection" catalyzed the Japanese and Brazilian regions to sign a sister-state relationship in 1980. Since then, they have deepened their relationship through mutual visits by goodwill delegations, technical exchanges, and the dispatch of expatriates from Shiga Prefecture.

In November 2024, about 20 people, including Rio Grande do Sul Gov. Eduardo Leite and the state assembly president, visited Shiga Prefecture. In September 2025, Shiga Prefecture and Rio Grande do Sul co-hosted an event at the Brazil Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan to highlight their appeal and the history of their exchanges. Commemorative events during the upcoming dispatch of the delegation are expected to further develop the partnership between the Japanese and Brazilian regions.

Itinerary overview (tentative; the plans could change)
November 11 (Tuesday):
Delegates to arrive in Sao Paulo (stay in Sao Paulo)

November 12 (Wednesday):
-Luncheon meeting with the Consul-General of Japan in Sao Paulo
-Host a Shiga Prefecture seminar at Japan House Sao Paulo
-Exchange with Shiga Kenjinkai (prefectural association) in Brazil (stay in Sao Paulo)

November 13 (Thursday):
-Floral tribute at a memorial cenotaph for Japanese immigrant pioneers and a visit to the Japan Pavilion
-Visit Ivoti (exchange with the Japanese-Brazilian community and tour of the Ivoti immigration museum)
-Mini concert for the Shiga delegation by the POA symphony's youth orchestra
-Dinner with Southern Brazil-Japan welfare association officials
(stay in Porto Alegre)

November 14 (Friday):
45th anniversary event for the sister-state relationship (stay in Porto Alegre)

November 15 (Saturday):
Opening ceremony of Festival do Japao RS (stay in Porto Alegre)
*Governor to return to Japan

November 16 (Sunday):
Tour of the state
*Delegates to return to Japan

Highlights
Seminar on Shiga Prefecture at Japan House Sao Paulo:
Gov. Mikazuki will give a lecture on topics such as environmental conservation of Lake Biwa. The event will also feature tasting sake from Shiga and a hands-on experience making straps inspired by the Seta Shijimi clam. The event is open to the public, so those who are interested in the event are welcomed.
*Participants will be limited to those who can legally consume alcohol.

Event Name: Shiga Prefecture Seminar
Organizers: Consulate-General of Japan in Sao Paulo, Shiga Prefecture
Date: November 12, 2025, 16:00-18:00 (tentative)
Venue: Japan House Sao Paulo (Av. Paulista, 52 - Bela Vista, Sao Paulo - SP, 01310-000, BRASIL)
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202510237641-O1-2cnMk2Ys.pdf
URL: https://japanhousesp.com.br/ 

45th anniversary event for sister-state relationship:
On November 14, an event will be held in Porto Alegre to mark the 45th anniversary of the sister-state relationship. Apart from the meeting between Gov. Mikazuki and Gov. Leite, an unveiling ceremony for a signboard introducing the history of the sister-state exchanges and the concept of Shiga Park, there will be the planting of cherry tree saplings.

Opening Ceremony of Japan Festival in Rio Grande do Sul (November 15):
From November 14 to November 16, Japan Festival (Festival do Japao RS) will be held in Rio Grande do Sul, with an expected attendance of approximately 80,000 people. This year's theme is "45th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between Rio Grande do Sul and Shiga Prefecture." During the opening ceremony on the afternoon of November 15, Gov. Mikazuki will deliver a speech. Moreover, there will be a booth showcasing Shiga Prefecture's charm, including traditional crafts and a ninja costume-wearing experience workshop.

SOURCE Shiga Prefectural Government