Pirapó, colonia fundada por inmigrantes japoneses
An Itapúa district founded on 2 August 1960 by Japanese immigrants, 7 km off Route 6.
What it is
Pirapó is a district in northeastern Itapúa, about 7 km off Route PY06 linking Encarnación with Ciudad del Este. It was founded on 2 August 1960 by Japanese immigrants and today still has a large Nikkei community, so besides Spanish and Guaraní you will hear Japanese. The name comes from Guaraní: pira ("fish") and po ("hand"), alluding to the Pirapó stream having so many fish that people could catch them by hand; the popular reading "leaping fish" is another frequent interpretation. It is a visit for anyone interested in the history of immigration in Paraguay and in how a Japanese farming community took root in the Colonias Unidas region.
What to see and do
- Living Nikkei community
- Farmland of the Colonias Unidas
- Close to Bella Vista, Hohenau and Obligado
Did you know…?
Japanese is one of the languages spoken in the district.
It is bounded to the south by the Paraná River, which separates it from Argentina.
History
Organised Japanese immigration to Paraguay began with La Colmena colony in 1936 and reopened after the Second World War. The 1959 Immigration Agreement spurred new colonies, and Pirapó emerged among them in 1960.
Tips
- Respect the daily life of a farming community: ask before photographing people or farms.
- Combine with the Colonias Unidas in a single day.
Check opening hours before you go.
Best time: Autumn and spring.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
Capitán Meza · Itapúa
Capitán Meza, colonia alemana y puerto sobre el Paraná
The "mother of districts" of northeastern Itapúa, founded in 1907 by German settlers, with a port on the Paraná.
Hohenau · Itapúa
Colonias Unidas: Hohenau y Obligado
Immigrant colonies with community festivals, Choppfest, parks and pioneer museums.
Jesús · Itapúa
Misión Jesuítica de Jesús de Tavarangue
A colossal church that was never finished: trefoil arches in the middle of the countryside, a World Heritage Site.
Trinidad · Itapúa
Misión Jesuítica de la Santísima Trinidad del Paraná
Paraguay's best-preserved Jesuit reduction: reddish stone, musician angels and an evening light show.
La Paz · Itapúa
Colonia La Paz, comunidad japonesa y paraguaya
A colony founded in the 1958 Japanese wave and made a district in 1986, now shared by Paraguayans and Nikkei.
Natalio · Itapúa
Natalio, el puerto maderero de la época del mensú
A district on a fertile plateau in eastern Itapúa; according to the most likely version, its name comes from a foreman of the 1930s logging camps.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.