A group of Japanese artists brought their culture closer to Rwandans with stage performances at College Saint André in Nyarugenge District in Kigali on Wednesday.

The show, staged for the second time in the country, was organised by the Japanese embassy in Rwanda to mark the Japanese Day.

The hall was packed to capacity with students and members of the Association of Rwandans who studied in Japan and friends of Japan in Rwanda in attendance.

The audience was shown a documentary commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, which demonstrates the evolution of Japanese technology, such as the Ultra-Light weight vehicle, sightseeing Train, and Hydroponic Farming together with the Japanese way of life and lifestyle.

There was also a karate demonstration to show the audience martial arts that was developed and followed in Okinawa, located in the southern island of Japan.

After the demonstration, two members of Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Alumni association in Rwanda were invited to address the audience about the lifestyle they experienced while they pursued studies in Japan.

Dr Joram Sebatware, the executive director of the association, who studied in Japan on the sponsorship of Jica, appealed to Rwandans who study in the Asian country to transfer the rich technological know-how to Rwanda to contribute to national development.

Tomiyo Sakamoto, the counselor at the Embassy of Japan, highlighted the importance of culture and urged students to study hard to win Japanese scholarships.