Leiden is more Japanese than most people think
Special Japan-Leiden relationship
This has everything to do with the exceptional part that Leiden has played in the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands throughout the centuries. Von Siebold is a great example of this. He built up an extraordinary collection in Japan and brought this to the Netherlands in the nineteenth century. Leiden is also the only city in the Netherlands that offers Japanese studies. Moreover, Leiden is an important city for Japan. It is why the Japanese emperor visited Leiden in 2000.
Discover Japan in Leiden
In 2009 Japan will become even more visible in Leiden. Many cultural institutions are cooperating in order to make Japan@Leiden a great success. Visit Holland Mania, the SieboldHuis and the extinct Japanese wolf. Listen to the Japanese drum band Yamato, attend a sushi course or visit an exhibition about contemporary Japanese artists. Explore Zen meditation, accompanied by a Japanese monk, taste Japanese whisky and be inspired by Japanese film or dance.
In short; discover Japan in Leiden.