Urban transformations in the Liberdade Japanese neighbourhood and the confluence of events in the con struction of Nipponophilic capital in São Paulo

This study analyses the urban and cultural transformation of São Paulo and its Liberdade neighborhood—home to the largest Japanese diaspora—through public policies and Japan-themed events such as Tanabata Matsuri, Anime Friends, and the Festival do Japão. It introduces the concept of Nipponophilic capital, integrating Bourdieu’s forms of capital with theories of Disneyfication, tactics, and memory spaces. Drawing on literature review, fieldwork, and photographic analysis, the article examines how Japanese pop culture, tourism, and gentrification reshape Liberdade, highlighting its central role in São Paulo’s identity and economy, positioning it as the main Japanese hub in the Americas and reinforcing its global image aligned with Japan’s branding while revealing underlying tensions.