HUNDREDS of visitors from around the world are expected in Basildon next week for a Japanese cultural event.

The Kodosai Cultural Event will be held at the Holiday Inn next Friday. The three-day event will feature workshops on Japanese culture and experiences, including Japanese haiki poetry, Japanese shodo calligraphy, and Samurai history workshops, in the style of Horrible Histories.

The event will also feature a martial arts seminar, featuring Fumio Demura, who is known worldwide in the martial arts work as “the Real Mr Miyagi”, as he inspired the teacher character in the Karate Kid movies.

The highlight will be a demonstration of Japanese taiko drumming, which will take place at the hotel from noon on Saturday, October 5.

For more information about the cultural event, call Marc Grayston on 07407 454480.