La Colmena

La Colmena was established in 1936 as the first Japanese agricultural settlement in Paraguay, and the families who came cleared hill country and built an economy on fruit: citrus, grapes, plums and vegetables grown on the slopes and sold into Asuncion, with the colony becoming a significant supplier. Japanese is still spoken by older residents, a Japanese school and cultural association operate, and a small museum covers the settlement's history. The surrounding hills hold Salto Cristal, the turquoise-pool waterfall, and other falls and walking country. The town holds an annual festival marking the founding. It is a quiet place and the colony story is the reason to stop.

What you actually see

• The colony town - the settlement laid out by the Japanese families.
• Fruit farms - the citrus, grape and plum growing on the slopes.
• The cultural association - the Japanese school and community buildings.
• The museum - the small display on the colony's founding.

When to go

April to October in the cooler months; the citrus harvest runs through the winter months. The founding festival falls in the middle of the year. Weekdays are quiet.

Honest expectations

The town is small with few facilities. The museum keeps irregular hours. The Japanese character is now largely in the older generation and the institutions. Roads to the surrounding waterfalls are rough.

Nearby

Salto Cristal lies nearby; Paraguari is west.