YOUNGSTERS at a Furness School discovered the traditions of Japan from a special visitor.

Hiroko Nagashima, from Kyushu, was based at the Vickerstown School, Walney, school from the start of November in 1994 until Easter the following year.

She was leading a project for the whole school on Japan and its culture.

In February 1995 the children were learning about tea ceremonies and the paper folding techniques of origami.

The school visitor also introduced pupils to Japanese cooking, songs, caligraphy and counting.

Some of the first Japanese visitors to Barrow were sailors from the crews of ships built at Vickers.

The best known is Mikasa — which has a Walney street named after it.

This battleship was launched on November 8 in 1900 by Baroness Hayashi.

It burned through 12 tons of coal every hour and served at sea until 1922 — despite being badly damaged by an internal explosion in 1905.

Mikasa was preserved at a national heritage ship and is a major visitor attraction in Japan.