To reduce breakage by eliminating shock making use of energy absorption of particles made of brittle material when impact is applied to an outer hull of a ship, the head part of a rolling stock, and heavy substance such as a buffer stop of a quay or the rolling stock.

This shock absorber is provided with a box, and a particle holding part mounted in the box. A collision surface of the box is coated with a non-corrosive Teflon sheet, and particles made of brittle material such as stone, glass, concrete, coal ash, sludge and the like are accommodated in the box. When a small impact force is applied to the box due to a collision, the impact force is absorbed by frictional collision among the particles. In the case of larger impact force, the particles are collapsed to eliminate the impact force so that breakage is reduced.