Demonstration of flower arranging set for Kyoto: The Kyoto chapter of Ikebana International will hold a demonstration of the art of Japanese flower arranging from 1 p.m. on Tuesday at the Brighton Hotel Kyoto, in the city's Kamigyo Ward.

Kei Hihara, an ikebana artist from the Misho School, will arrange flowers, giving a commentary in Japanese with English interpretation.

Admission is free for foreign students, 1,500 yen for members and 2,500 yen for others.

For more information, call or fax the organizer at (075) 231-4735.

Kobe cultural group plans trip to Kagawa: Kobe's Cross Cultural Center is organizing a one-day bus trip for English-speakers to Kagawa Prefecture on Sept. 27.

Kagawa covers the eastern part of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands. The prefecture is known for its mild climate, although it is more famous as the home of "udon" noodles.

Destinations include Yashima, a plateau of lava projecting into the Seto Inland Sea that was a major battlefield in the war between the Genji and Heike clans in the 12th century, and Shikoku-mura, a museum of rebuilt private homes and workrooms that were once common across the island. Participants will also visit the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum Japan, where the renown sculptor's works are on display.

Participants will meet at 8 a.m. at JR Sannomiya Station.

The cost of the trip is 8,400 yen, while the udon lunch is an extra 1,300 yen. The deadline for reservations is Thursday.

There are places for 20 foreigners and the same number of Japanese. For reservations and more information, call the organizer at (078) 646-7100.

U.K. story-teller invites children to performance: The British Council is inviting children to attend English story-telling performances at several venues in Osaka and Kyoto later this month.

The performances will be by Jan Blake, a British story-teller with an international reputation. She will recite tales from children's books, accompanied by a wide range of gestures.

The one-hour performances will be held in Osaka at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the British Council's Osaka office. The session on Sept. 25 will start at Junkudo book store at 6:30 p.m., and again on Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. Both venues are in the Dojima Avanza building in the city's Kita Ward.

Performances in Kyoto will be held at at 6 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 23 at the council's Kyoto offices in Nakagyo Ward, at 4 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Kyoto University of Art and Design (Kyoto Zokei Geijutsu Daigaku) in Sakyo Ward, and at 11 a.m. on Sept. 27 at Maruzen book store in Nakagyo Ward.

Reservations are required. For the events in Osaka, call the British Council Osaka at (06) 6342-5301 or e-mail: [email protected]

For the performances at the British Council Kyoto, call the office at (075) 229-7151 or e-mail: [email protected]

For the performance at the university, call (075) 721-1797, and for the session at Maruzen book store, call (075) 241-2169.

For more information, call the British Council's Osaka or Kyoto offices.

North Korea expert to discuss human rights: The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan will host a meeting to address human rights issues in North Korea between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sept. 25 at the P&G building in Higashinada Ward, Kobe.

Guest speaker Norbert Vollersten, a German doctor and human rights activist who worked in North Korea, will share his firsthand experiences of helping defectors and the reality of life under the leader Kim Jong Il. He will also discuss what the rest of the region must to do to contain this unpredictable neighbor.

Dr. Vollersten will speak in English with Japanese interpretations.

Admission is 5,000 yen. Registration is required in advance.

For more information, call the ACCJ at (06) 6944-5991 or fax (06) 6944-5992.

Foreigners invited to Takarazuka flea market: The Takarazuka International Friendship Association is seeking non-Japanese vendors to take part in a flea market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Sunviola Pedestrian Deck, which is next to the Hankyu Takarazuka Minamiguchi Station in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture.

Ten people or groups can participate in the flea market, although professional vendors are not accepted. For a fee of 500 yen, vendors will be given a plot of up to 2.2 sq. meters to sell any items except food or medicines.

Anyone wishing to apply must contact the organizer by Sept. 27. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For applications and more information, call the TIFA at (0797) 76-5917.