June 18 - 20, 2004
Japan Foundation Sponsorship Program - 2004 Shorinji Kempo Demonstration in Brazil and Study Session-
Sponsored by the Japan Foundation to give a public demonstration of Shorinji Kempo, the delegates of the Shorinji Kempo Federation visited the city of Porto Alegre of the Federal Republic of Brazil. The members of the delegation were WSKO Official Instructors Masanori Nagata and Kazuhiro Kawashima, WSKO Asst. Secretary-General Takashi So, Instructors Chikara Shimura and Nobuyasu Kuramoto.
In conjunction with the demonstration, 2004 Shorinji Kempo Brazilian Regional Study Session was held for three days from 18th to 20th of June.
Located in the Southern hemisphere, Brazil was now in brisk early fall season. Blessed by the fine weather, the public demonstration and the study session was a great success. The study session was attended by 170 kenshi of 13 Brazilian branches.
Techniques, lectures, seminars for branch masters and for branch establishment, and Dan grading examination were held during the study session making the best of the scheduled three days.
Above all, WSKO Official Instructor Nagata talked about "developing the quality of people Shorinji Kempo aims for" was well received by the participants. One of them said "I could deepen my understanding toward Shorinji Kempo," and another said "I was encouraged to continue to practice."
In the Branch Masters Seminar, new information was given by WSKO and the branch masters talked positively about establishing a national Brazilian Federation.
On the 3rd day of the session, Consul General Kohei Nagashima of the Japanese Consulate General in Porto Alegre kindly attended the Shorinji Kempo public demonstration. Brazilian branch members performed their embu, followed by the Japanese delegates.
Mr. Masanori Nagata, giving a lecture |
Excited atmosphere of the demonstration hall reached its peak when the three-day study session was closed.
During this study session, Brazilian branch members brought clothing and commodities not used at home, in order to donate them to the people in need.
