Origami looks like child's play

Japanese students on an exchange visit impressed their hosts with a demonstration of origami.

The group of three boys and three girls came from Aoyama Gakuin High School in Tokyo for a taste of life at The Leys. Their counterparts from The Leys, who went to Tokyo in the autumn half-term, acted as their hosts on the exchange, which was co-ordinated by Ann Muston, Head of ESOL.

Shigehito Katakura, pictured with one of his origami birds, showed great dexterity and speed in the art of paper folding and some art pupils at The Leys tried it for themselves. They found it was not so easy, though in Japan origami is viewed as child’s play.

“It’s something we do from being very young, at kindergarten,” the visitors explained.

The group attended classes and gave presentations, which Mrs Muston said they did “incredibly well.”

They also went on several trips to experience Cambridge life, including a rare opportunity to climb up to the roof of King’s College Chapel.

The Leys pupils who went to Tokyo gave a presentation about their visit at a reception hosted by the Headmaster, Mark Slater. They gave a film show and talked with enthusiasm about the highlights, which included a home economics lesson in how to make beef stew and coffee jelly, and trips to Yokohama’s Panda Shop and Tokyo’s electronic district.

The Leys School and Aoyama Gakuin High School, both Methodist foundations, have been running such exchange visits since 1994. The schools have enjoyed strong links since they were founded in the 1870s.