Japanese kites, toys on display

SURABAYA: About 80 kinds of Japanese traditional kites and 70 kinds of toys are to be displayed in a five-day exhibition that started on Thursday, an official of the Consulate General of Japan in Surabaya said.

The exhibition is being held by the Japanese consular mission in Surabaya in cooperation with the East Java chapter of the Japanese Alumni Association (Persada) and the Surabaya Kites Association (Perlabaya), vice consul of the Consulate General of Japan Motoyatsu Tanaka said.

In a press release, he said the exhibition was aimed at providing opportunities to Indonesians in Surabaya to learn about traditional Japanese culture, including various toys.

He said the paper kites and tops, directly shipped from Japan, were traditional handicrafts still maintained and preserved today.

Prior to Surabaya, a similar fair was held in Makassar, South Sulawesi, he said, and the exhibition would also tour Jakarta and Medan, North Sumatra. -- Antara