October 7 & 8, 2007
Tadotsu Festival & Daruma-sai '07

Keidai at Daruma-sai (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

The first Tadotsu Festival was held for two days on October 7th and 8th, 2007, and the annual Daruma Festival was held on October 8th, participated by 5,000 people. This event was co-organized by the Shorinji Kempo Group and the various active local volunteers of Tadotsu.

The Day 1 of the Tadotsu Festival was named "Daruma Light Fiesta", held on the road in front of the Tadotsu Station which was temporarily made free of vehicle from 15:00 to 21:00. The program consisted of orienteering to discover Tadotsu, Shorinji Kempo embu demonstrations, "shishi-mai" or traditional lion dances, "daruma-san ga koronda" (a children's game similar to "red light, green light".), dance performance by university students. The colorful lights shaped in Daruma, and paper lanterns made by local participants were displayed along the Sakura River, offering a fantastic scenery. The game "daruma-san ga koronda" was participated by both members and non-members of Shorinji Kempo, and Ms. Yuuki So, Chairperson of the Shorinji Kempo Group, played the role of "it" counting to ten.

The Day 2 of the festival was "Daruma Festival & Rakuichi Rakuza (free market)". The main stage was set on Toryo Park, where several different performances were given. Food stands were set also on the front yard of Hombu, that was hosting annual memorial service in Hondo for Bodhidharma, the Indian monk who brought Zen Buddhism to China. The high school course of Zenrin Gakuen offered a school festival. Its specialist course students presented their annual "haunted house" in Kodo. A local FM radio station FM Kagawa broadcasted their daily program "Powerful Radio" live from the stage of Toryo Park to cover the event.


= DAY 1 =

At one of the check points of the orienteering (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Discovering the history of Tadotsu during the orienteering (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Shorinji Kempo Demonstration at Tadotsu Station (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Demonstration by Hombu Doin kenshi (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Demonstration by Hombu Doin kenshi (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Dance performance by university students (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Winner of "Daruma-san ga koronda" (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Each local neighbourhood community succeeds the tradition of "Shishi-mai", lion dance, to present at festivals. (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Little drummer: "Shishi-mai" is performed to the beats of these drums. (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Head of "Shishi" of the dance (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Paper lanterns made by local participants for this event (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Lights in the shape of Daruma along the Sakura River of Tadotsu (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

= DAY 2 =

Live music by Zenrin Gakuen students on the main stage (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Live Jazz by the members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Game section for children in Toryo Park (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Shorinji Kempo demonstration on the main stage (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

FM Kagawa covering the event live (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

"Shishi-mai" performance in Toryo Park (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

Shorinji Kepmpo Demonstration on the main stage in Toryo Park (c) Kaiho Shorinji Kempo

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