A group introducing Japanese culture to Orkney are taking their message to primary school classrooms.
A week long celebration of Japan is being rolled out across the islands, culminating in a major celebration event at the weekend.
It is being led by a group, informally known as Team Orkney, all of whom have connections to Japan.
Among them is Yuko Johnston, who is Japanese by birth, is married to an Orcadian and has lived in Stromness for the past seven years.
She helped teach young pupils at the village’s school yesterday in various aspects of her native land’s culture – including origami, language and traditional dress.
She said: “I love Orkney and it has been very good to me so I just want to be able to give something back.”
Mrs Johnston, who works for environmental consultants Aquaterra, said that the islands are becoming more “internationalised” in outlook and said people across Orkney had responded positively to the project.
She believes she is one of only three Japanese born women living in the islands.
Leading the innovative project is Ruta Noreika, who also has a home in Stromness.
She has deep links with Japanese culture through her professional and personal life and believes that it is important to promote different cultures.
She said: “Orkney is being held up as a model of Japanese studies in Scotland and it really started at the grassroots level.”
She added: “Orkney is the only non-private schools which has been offering Japanese studies which is fantastic.
“As someone who has come to Orkney I know how innovative and unusual things can be here and this is another area where Orkney is being very innovative and creative.”
The group has been taking sessions in Stromness Academy and Kirkwall Grammar School.
They will continue with further classes at Burray, Stenness and Orphir primary schools today.
It will be followed by workshops in traditional Japanese music at the islands’ two high schools tomorrow, culminating in a performance at the Pier Arts Centre.
There will be a full day of activities in Kirkwall Library on Saturday.
Ms Noreika said; “This particular event started because we had these musicians coming to Orkney on children’s day and we thought what else can we do?
“We thought it would be quite good fun to do workshops with the kids. The schools were very welcoming and the kids seem to be having a good time, we’re all having a good time.”