London's first-ever Festival Asia opening at Tobacco Docks

This Friday May 15 marks the start of the first Festival Asia, London's largest all-Asian indoor festival.

Showcasing Asian food, culture, spirituality and art, the festival will run for three days in Tobacco Dock May. It is thought to be the only festival of its kind in London, and around 20,000 visitors are expected during the weekend.

A performance stage and martial arts stage will be accompanied by spiritual and cultural rooms and children's entertainment.

There will also be a food court serving dishes from more than 20 countries, and will include Filipino, Laotian and Cambodian cauisine. An Asian-themed bar will provide drinks and cocktails.

Visitors will find cultural representatives from across Asia in the cultural room, with everything from Mandarin lessons to classes on "how to keep youthful". Other activities include an introduction to the Japanese comic art form Manga and a display of Japanese swordsmanship by 7th Dan John Maki Evans.

Music will take centre stage throughout the three days with acts as diverse as Korean Violin, Taiko drumming workshops and belly dancing displays. Akari Mochizuki , the only known singer of Enka (known colloquially as "Japanese blues") in the UK, will also make an appearance.

Ambassadors from Indonesia, the Philippines and Mongolia will all make presentations during the festival.

Tobacco Dock, May 15- 17 , festivalasia.co.uk

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