Your portfolio: Arnaldo Shimura and Kimberly Bardoel

Arnaldo Shimura and Kimberly Bardoel lived in Japan for many years, but recently went to Brazil and took these photos at a ceremony held to celebrate 100 years of Japanese immigration.

In 1908 the first steam ship arrived in Port Santos, Brazil. The first independent Japanese settlement was established in Mairipora in 1913. This monument was unveiled to commemorate that.

Thousands of people attended the event to learn about the history, watch performances and sample the food.

The families of the first pioneers to settle in Mairipora received a plate to honour their ancestors.

In 1918 a school was built for the children to study their native language. The old school house was converted to resemble an immigrant's home of that time.

Tea was served to the mayor and other members of the community, in a traditional ceremony.

We were impressed with the skills of this group who demonstrated the art of Tameshigiri, which dates back to the Edo period when the most skilled swordsmen were chosen to test how well the sword cut.

Ballet dancers performed an adaptation of the Japanese folktale Urashima Taro.

The taiko drummers at sunset were so incredible! We were in Brazil, the land of samba, yet the taiko brought us to the opposite side of the world.

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