More than twenty members of a capoeira group led by Mr. Kenji Katayama willingly came to the RIFA's International Friendship Salon. Mr. Katayama began to practice capoeira on his own after coming to Japan, but was approved officially to be an instructor of capoeira. Such wonderful skills and leadership attracted more than 100 participants.
　Capoeira is a traditional Brazilian martial art created in the 16th century. They played ethnic musical instruments called berimbau, long bows, and atabaque, a dram introduced from Africa, and showed capoeira with the music as if they are dancing, but it is a powerful martial art. With the music, the audience seriously watched them swaying right and left, jumping vigorously, and moving on their heads, without blinking.

After the capoira, Shorinji-kenpo founded in Japan was performed. Elementary school boys and girls belonging to Ritto doin and Moriyama doin led by some adult instructors came to this event.
　The priest So Doshin estabkished Shorinjkenpo in Kagawa Prefecture in 1957, aiming to achieve the sheer peace after the devastated WWⅡ. It is not only a mere martial art but also a practice to cultivate mercy and sense of justice by training both physically and mentally.
　They showed basic ways of kicking and defending. One of the instructors performed, twirling a longer stick called shakujo than his height. The spirit that they make much of propriety solemnly prevailed in the venue. We heard that there are only a few people who can perform with shakujo all over Japan. After their performance, some members of the capoeira group and an American man gave it a try, which proved to be the very cross cultural event.

　After the performances of capoira and Shorinji-kenpo, the participants enjoyed exchanging with a balloon art and Brazilian confectionery. Kuma-no-pusan, a character bear of a children's story, cute crabs and giraffes were so quickly made of colorful long balloons. From one-year old children to elementary school students and mothers stood in line to get one. Brazilians, Americans and Thais all stood in line. Boys who performed Shorinji-kenpo seriously also waited for ones and began to play with the balloon swords, which was really smile-provoking. The exchanging over the Brazilian confectionery with the balloon art finished merrily.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thank you for participating in great number.