Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo

Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo, commonly known as Enkyo (from the Japanese サンパウロ日伯援護協会, San Pauro Nippaku Engo Kyōkai), is a private, non-profit Brazilian association active in healthcare and social assistance. It was founded on 28 January 1959 by Japanese immigrants and their descendants, initially to assist newly arrived immigrants at the port of Santos. Over the decades, it expanded its scope and now serves both Japanese-Brazilians and the broader Brazilian population. Enkyo operates a network of medical and social facilities, including the Centro Médico Liberdade (formerly Ambulatório Médico Enkyo), the Hospital Nipo-Brasileiro, the Hospital São Miguel Arcanjo, several rehabilitation and nursing homes (Kosei Homes, Yassuragui Home, Ipelândia Home, Akebono Home, Sakura Home), and the Centro de Ação Social Enkyo. Its mobile medical service, Junkai, travels to Japanese colonies across Brazil, offering bilingual consultations, laboratory tests, and nutritional guidance, with free services for seniors aged 70 and above. The association is headquartered in São Paulo and is recognized as a state and federal public utility entity in Brazil. It remains a key institution for the nikkei community, providing culturally sensitive, bilingual care in Portuguese and Japanese.

Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo, known as Enkyo, was founded on 28 January 1959 by Japanese immigrants and their descendants as the Associação de Assistência aos Imigrantes Japoneses em São Paulo. Its initial purpose was to assist immigrants arriving at the port of Santos. In 1960, the Casa do Imigrante was inaugurated in Santos, and mobile medical assistance (Assistência Médica Móvel) began. In April 1962, the Ambulatório Médico Enkyo was founded. In 1963, Enkyo was recognized as a state public utility entity (Lei nº 7.981/63), and in 1964 it was registered with the State Secretariat of Assistance and Social Development (SEADS). In 1965, it began administering the Sanatório São Francisco Xavier in Campos do Jordão. In 1966, it was registered with the National Council of Social Service. In 1970, its headquarters and medical clinic moved to the building of the Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Japonesa. In 1971, the Casa de Reabilitação Social (Enkyo Kosei Home) was founded in the Liberdade neighborhood. In 1972, the organization changed its corporate name to Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo. In 1973, it was recognized as a federal public utility entity (Decreto nº 72.220/73). In 1974, the Casa do Imigrante became the Santos Kosei Home. In 1975, the São Paulo Kosei Home closed and users were transferred to Santos. In 1977, the Yassuragui Home psychosocial rehabilitation center opened in Guarulhos. In 1979, the Federation of Japanese-Brazilian Elderly Clubs became independent. In 1983, the Ipelândia Home nursing home opened in Suzano. In 1984, dental services began at the Ambulatório Médico Enkyo. In 1988, the Hospital Nipo-Brasileiro was inaugurated. In 1991, a new five-story building for the Santos Kosei Home opened. In 2000, the Akebono Home was founded in Guarulhos, and the Sanatório São Francisco Xavier became the Sakura Home. In 2003, the Unidade Amami was founded in Vila Carrão, São Paulo. In 2006, the Pró-Autista Pipa integration project began. In 2009, the Centro de Ação Social Enkyo opened in Liberdade. In 2010, headquarters and the medical clinic moved to the new center, and the Centro de Convivência do Idoso Enkyo and Centro Médico Liberdade were established. In 2013, the Hospital São Miguel Arcanjo was inaugurated. In 2014, the Associação Nipo-Brasileira de Assistência Social - Enkyo was founded. In 2015, Enkyo signed a contract to acquire a property next to the Centro de Ação Social Enkyo - Unidade Amami, and the emergency department at Hospital São Miguel Arcanjo opened. In 2016, the foundation stone for the expansion of Ipelândia Home was laid, and the expansion was inaugurated in 2017.

• 2010

  Headquarters and medical clinic moved to new center in March; Centro de Convivência do Idoso Enkyo and Centro Médico Liberdade established.

• 2009

  Centro de Ação Social Enkyo inaugurated in Liberdade on 15 August.

• 2006

  Pró-Autista Pipa integration project began on 1 April.

• 2003

  Unidade Amami founded in Vila Carrão, São Paulo on 27 September.

• 2000

  Akebono Home founded in Guarulhos on 9 January; Sanatório São Francisco Xavier became Sakura Home in May.

• 1991

  New five-story building for Santos Kosei Home inaugurated on 28 January.

• 1988

  Hospital Nipo-Brasileiro inaugurated on 18 June.

• 1984

  Dental services began at Ambulatório Médico Enkyo on 1 September.

• 1983

  Ipelândia Home nursing home inaugurated in Suzano on 16 January.

• 1979

  Federation of Japanese-Brazilian Elderly Clubs became independent on 3 September.

• 1977

  Yassuragui Home psychosocial rehabilitation center inaugurated in Guarulhos on 19 March.

• 1975

  São Paulo Kosei Home closed in February; users transferred to Santos.

• 1974

  Casa do Imigrante became Santos Kosei Home on 14 July.

• 1973

  Recognized as federal public utility entity (Decreto nº 72.220/73) on 11 May.

• 1972

  Changed corporate name to Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulo on 21 July.

• 1971

  Casa de Reabilitação Social (Enkyo Kosei Home) founded in Liberdade in April.

• 1970

  Headquarters and medical clinic moved to Sociedade Brasileira de Cultura Japonesa building on 24 November.

• 1966

  Registered with the National Council of Social Service on 5 September.

• 1965

  Began administering Sanatório São Francisco Xavier in Campos do Jordão on 1 September.

• 1964

  Registered with SEADS under no. 1524 on 1 September.

• 1963

  Recognized as state public utility entity (Lei nº 7.981/63) on 2 October.

• 1962

  Ambulatório Médico Enkyo founded in April.

• 1960

  Casa do Imigrante inaugurated in Santos on 23 January; mobile medical assistance began on 28 April.

• 1959

  Founded on 28 January as Associação de Assistência aos Imigrantes Japoneses em São Paulo.

Non-profit, community-based bilingual healthcare and social assistance provider for the Japanese-Brazilian community and the general public in Brazil.

• Assistência Médica Móvel (Junkai)

  Mobile medical team traveling to Japanese colonies, offering bilingual consultations, lab tests, and nutritional guidance; free for seniors 70+.

• Centro Médico Liberdade

  Formerly Ambulatório Médico Enkyo, founded April 1962; provides outpatient, dental, and check-up services with bilingual care.

• Hospital Nipo-Brasileiro

  General hospital and maternity inaugurated 18 June 1988; located near Rodovia Presidente Dutra in Parque Novo Mundo, São Paulo.

• Hospital São Miguel Arcanjo

  Hospital inaugurated August 2013; emergency department opened December 2015.

• Centro de Ação Social Enkyo

  Social action center inaugurated 15 August 2009 in Liberdade; houses headquarters and Centro de Convivência do Idoso Enkyo.

• Kosei Homes

  Social rehabilitation homes: Santos Kosei Home (1974) and former São Paulo Kosei Home (1971–1975).

• Yassuragui Home

  Psychosocial rehabilitation center inaugurated 19 March 1977 in Guarulhos.

• Ipelândia Home

  Nursing home inaugurated 16 January 1983 in Suzano; expanded in 2017.

• Akebono Home

  Nursing home founded 9 January 2000 in Guarulhos, next to Yassuragui Home.

• Sakura Home

  Former Sanatório São Francisco Xavier in Campos do Jordão, converted to a nursing home in May 2000.

• Unidade Amami

  Unit founded 27 September 2003 in Vila Carrão, São Paulo.

• Projeto de Integração Pró-Autista Pipa

  Autism integration project started 1 April 2006.

1. 1Beneficência Nipo-Brasileira de São Paulopt.wikipedia.org
2. 2San Pauro Nippaku Engo Kyōkaiwikidata.org