Esta pesquisa analisa o papel da nipobrasileira a partir da perspectiva de artista do corpo, tendo como contexto a cena artística paulistana: uma realidade brasileira de imigração e diáspora, num viés praticoteórico. Partimos de processos de contaminação entre ocidente e oriente, representados aqui por Brasil e Japão, respectivamente, e a partir de experiências singulares que resultam dessa relação, trazendo o relato de seis artistas mulheres nikkeis. Levamos em consideração a mestiçagem (PINHEIRO, 2013; LAPLANTINE & NOUSS, 2016; GRUZINSKI, 2001) decorrente desse encontro utilizando, inclusive, termos da cultura japonesa, Ma (?) e D? (?), devidamente deslocados em seus sentidos e ressignificados no contexto mencionado. A Teoria Corpomídia de Greiner e Katz (2001) é importante para a compreensão de co-relação e co-evolução inestanque e mútua de corpo e ambiente. Os estudos de Hashiguti (2008) e Takeuchi (2016), que tratam especificamente do corpo nipobrasileiro, também compõem as referências teóricas deste estudo. / This research analysis the roll of the Brazilian Japanese descendant from the perspective of an artist of the body, with the scenic arts of the city of São Paulo as context: a Brazilian reality of immigration and diaspora, in a practicaltheoretical bias. Our start points are the processes of contamina-tion between West and East, represented here by Brazil and Japan, respectively, and the singular experiences that result from this relation, which are represented by the conversation with six Brazilian nikkei artists. We are considering the Miscegenation (mestiçagem) (PINHEIRO, 2013; LAPLANTINE & NOUSS, 2016; GRUZINSKI, 2001) that occurs from this rendez-vous, using terms from the Japanese culture, inclusive, Ma (?) and D? (?), properly displaced from its meaning and resignified in the context that we mentioned before. The Corpomídia Theory from Greiner and Katz (2001) is important for the comprehension of the co-relation and co-evolution of body and environment which is mutual and non-stagnant. The studies of Hashiguti (2008) and Takeuchi (2016) that reflect specifi-cally the Japanese descendant body also compose the theorical refer-ences of this study.

Esta pesquisa analisa o papel da nipobrasileira a partir da perspectiva de artista do corpo, tendo como contexto a cena artística paulistana: uma realidade brasileira de imigração e diáspora, num viés praticoteórico. Partimos de processos de contaminação entre ocidente e oriente, representados aqui por Brasil e Japão, respectivamente, e a partir de experiências singulares que resultam dessa relação, trazendo o relato de seis artistas mulheres nikkeis. Levamos em consideração a mestiçagem (PINHEIRO, 2013; LAPLANTINE & NOUSS, 2016; GRUZINSKI, 2001) decorrente desse encontro utilizando, inclusive, termos da cultura japonesa, Ma (?) e D? (?), devidamente deslocados em seus sentidos e ressignificados no contexto mencionado. A Teoria Corpomídia de Greiner e Katz (2001) é importante para a compreensão de co-relação e co-evolução inestanque e mútua de corpo e ambiente. Os estudos de Hashiguti (2008) e Takeuchi (2016), que tratam especificamente do corpo nipobrasileiro, também compõem as referências teóricas deste estudo. / This research analysis the roll of the Brazilian Japanese descendant from the perspective of an artist of the body, with the scenic arts of the city of São Paulo as context: a Brazilian reality of immigration and diaspora, in a practicaltheoretical bias. Our start points are the processes of contamina-tion between West and East, represented here by Brazil and Japan, respectively, and the singular experiences that result from this relation, which are represented by the conversation with six Brazilian nikkei artists. We are considering the Miscegenation (mestiçagem) (PINHEIRO, 2013; LAPLANTINE & NOUSS, 2016; GRUZINSKI, 2001) that occurs from this rendez-vous, using terms from the Japanese culture, inclusive, Ma (?) and D? (?), properly displaced from its meaning and resignified in the context that we mentioned before. The Corpomídia Theory from Greiner and Katz (2001) is important for the comprehension of the co-relation and co-evolution of body and environment which is mutual and non-stagnant. The studies of Hashiguti (2008) and Takeuchi (2016) that reflect specifi-cally the Japanese descendant body also compose the theorical refer-ences of this study.

The immigration of Brazilian-Japanese to Japan has started as recently as the early 1980s as a result of an economic downturn in Brazil and labor shortages in Japan. In a recent study published by the Ministry of Justice in Japan, there are about 250,000 Brazilians currently working throughout Japan. Even though most of the Brazilians are second or third generation of Japanese descent, they are not fluent in Japanese, thus resulting in many cultural problems and misunderstandings. Some research has examined about the immigration of Brazilians (nikkeijin) to Japan, but none has investigated their acquisition of Japanese as a second language. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that motivate or unmotivate the nikkeijin in Japan to learn Japanese as a second language (JSL). This qualitative study shows the life experiences of four nikkeijin who arrived in Japan at different ages (8, 18, 25 and 42 years old). It is a very richly descriptive study about the experiences of nikkeijin learning JSL. Through interviews conducted over the Internet using Online Messenger and phone conversations, the researcher gathered information and data about their real life experiences learning the language and adapting to Japanese culture. The results of this study show how positive and negative life experiences of nikkeijin in Japan can affect their motivation to learn or improve their Japanese language skills. The age of arrival and the place of residence in Japan are also important factors that influence their experiences in Japan.