YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Yokota West Elementary School will mark the Nihon Matsuri festival with festivities set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

About 400 students will witness and take part in various Japanese activities such as sumo, karate, judo, Taiko drums and Koto performances. Classes will be presented on origami, calligraphy and making sushi rolls. A cheer boys and brass band from Waseda University, one of the Japanese “Ivy League” schools, is to perform at Yokota for the first time.

Demonstrations also are planned in Ohayashi (traditional Japanese music played at festivals) and classical dancing, Kendo sword fighting, Japanese cheerleading, Mochi-pounding and origami.

About 300 volunteers from the base and surrounding communities are assisting in the exhibition of Japanese culture at Yokota West.

The weeklong Japanese Golden Week holiday period begins Friday with the Greenery Day celebration.

For more information, contact Cheryl Johnson at 225-8388.

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