Current Time in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

Mogi das Cruzes is a city in the state of São Paulo in south-eastern Brazil, lying about fifty kilometres east of the state capital in the valley of the upper Tietê River. It forms the main centre of the region known as the Alto Tietê and belongs to the wider metropolitan area of São Paulo, though the wooded ridge of the Serra do Itapeti and a broad belt of farmland still separate it clearly from the sprawl of the capital.

The population is around four hundred and fifty thousand. The city has an unusual dual character, combining industry with intensive agriculture. Factories produce chemicals, textiles, food and metal goods, while the surrounding market gardens supply a large share of the vegetables, mushrooms, orchids and persimmons consumed in São Paulo. Mogi is in fact the largest producer of mushrooms and of persimmons in Brazil.

The town was founded in 1611 by settlers moving inland from the coast, and it became a base for the bandeirantes, the expeditions that pushed into the interior in search of gold and captives. Its colonial centre developed around the church and the town square, and it prospered through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as a stop on the route between São Paulo and the port of Rio de Janeiro. From the early twentieth century Japanese immigrants settled in the surrounding countryside in large numbers, and their descendants transformed local horticulture and gave the city a lasting Japanese-Brazilian character.

Landmarks include the church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo with its colonial altarpieces, the Casarão do Carmo, and the neoclassical municipal buildings around the central square. The Parque Municipal Leon Feffer and the reservoirs on the edge of the city are popular for walking and rowing, while the Serra do Itapeti nature reserve protects Atlantic forest with trails and viewpoints. The nearby town of Biritiba Mirim and the reservoirs of the Tietê headwaters attract weekend visitors from the capital.

Cultural life is notably rich for a city of this size. The Festa do Divino Espírito Santo, held since the seventeenth century, is one of the oldest continuous religious festivals in Brazil, filling the streets with processions and traditional music. Alongside it, the Japanese community celebrates the persimmon festival and Tanabata, and the city has taiko drumming groups, Japanese gardens and restaurants. The Museu Municipal and a well-supported theatre and orchestra add to the calendar.

Transport is straightforward. The Ayrton Senna and Dutra highways pass nearby, giving fast access to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and the CPTM suburban railway runs frequent trains into the capital, making Mogi a commuter city for many residents. Guarulhos International Airport is around forty minutes away.

Education is centred on the University of Mogi das Cruzes, a large private institution with medical and dental schools, along with technical colleges and a campus of the federal institute network.

Mogi das Cruzes is worth knowing for the way it holds several identities together: a colonial town, a Japanese-Brazilian farming district and a modern industrial city, all within easy reach of São Paulo.