THE public are to be transported to the land of the rising sun – in the very heart of North Yorkshire.
Northallerton is to play host to Japanese performing group Kimono World on May 17 as part of a Japan Day at the Forum.
Between 11am and 3pm visitors can have lunch at a Japanese street food cafe, be dressed in a real kimono and taste freshly-whisked green tea before learning the secrets of origami.
A poet will help visitors to write a haiku and there will also be a demonstration of Japanese embroidery and beadwork, as well as dynamic martial arts.
The daytime event is free to enter and there will be a free goodie bag for the first 50 people through the door.
In the evening Kimono World will take the audience on a tour through the seasons of Japan, with music on the shakuhachi bamboo flute, shamisen guitar and koto harp.
The show also features a performance of the tea ceremony by Japanese masters, and a traditional dance by troupe leader Emiko Kajino. There will also be martial arts and a kimono catwalk show.
Tickets for the evening event are £10 or £8 concessions and are available from kimonoworld.weebly.com and the Forum on 01609-776230.
Organiser Katie Chaplin of Romanby-based business Japan Crafts said:“Emiko and I wanted to share our love of Japanese culture with the people of Yorkshire, whilst allowing the Japanese performers a chance to experience Yorkshire’s culture as well.
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