The largest Japanese community outside of Japan is in Sao Paulo's Liberdade neighbourhood, which is known for its Asian-style eateries, paper lantern-like public lighting, and Asian-style architecture.
 
Thousands of visitors take pleasure in the local food and culture, frequently having no idea that the neighbourhood has a Black heritage.
 
The narrative of Chaguinhas, a Black soldier who had been enslaved and was sentenced to death in 1821 for leading a protest demanding higher pay, has been associated with the term "Liberdade" (liberty in English). Witnesses to his execution called for his "liberty."
 
Tour guide Debora Pinheiro stated, "When people see the neighbourhood, there is another history being told." The early 20th century saw the arrival of the Japanese, who initiated the gentrification movement. But there are still a lot of Black people. 

In Brazil, the tourism business that emphasizes Black history, or afrotourism, is expanding. The 2018 founding of Guia Negro is an organization dedicated to sharing Brazil's heritage, which is frequently disregarded. These days, it provides trips to 22 locations, including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador.
 
The tourism organization declared in 2023 that it will support enterprises in addition to travellers. According to the agency, which cited figures from the Rio mayor's office, Pequena Africa (Little Africa) in Rio de Janeiro saw more tourists that year than either the famous Christ the Redeemer or the Sugar Loaf mountain (Pao de Açucar). 

According to Pinheiro, the commercial drive to add "Japao" (Japan) to the name of Liberdade's metro station serves as a reminder of Sao Paulo's continued erasure of Black history.
 
Though it may not hold the title of "Blackest city outside of Africa," with Salvador in the northern state of Bahia or Rio de Janeiro's Little Africa neighbourhood, Sao Paulo is home to the greatest concentration of Black people in Brazil.
 
Travellers of African American descent who choose Brazil as their destination of choice are among Guia Negro's most regular customers.
 
One participant in the tour, Dr. Chanel Adrian Clifton, said, "Brazil made me feel like a Black queen." "I feel powerful, understood, and very welcomed." 

Guia Negro was founded by Guilherme Soares Dias, who was subjected to regular racial profiling while travelling abroad. "I wanted to build a platform so that everyone could learn more about Black history and culture and to inspire more Black people to travel," he stated.
 
To counteract racism, Guia Negro places a strong focus on teaching history.
 
Police attended the tour in October 2020 after being notified via social media posts about a planned "Black march." They followed, recorded, and interrogated the organizers for three hours, believing the ticketed sightseeing excursion to be a protest.
 
A judge ruled in April 2024 that the state of Sao Paulo must compensate Guia Negro for "moral collective damage and discriminatory action, with clear outlines of institutional racism" by paying 750,000 reals (RM540,528).