A Japanese choir is touring Lithuania performing Lithuanian songs, the result of a cultural friendship between the two countries that began by chance more than a decade ago.
AKchoir, led by conductor Akihito Kinashi, was rehearsing at St Casimir's Church in Vilnius ahead of a tour taking in venues across the country, including Panevėžys, Marijampolė, Kaunas and the capital.
Kinashi first visited Lithuania in 2014 and happened to attend the country's Song Festival, a UNESCO-listed event held every few years in which tens of thousands of people sing traditional Lithuanian songs together. Although he could not understand the words, the experience left a deep impression on him.
"I could feel the energy, the sense of togetherness. Twenty thousand people singing together – I was deeply moved. That's when I realised I needed this, we needed this: this peace, love and joy passed down from generation to generation. The world needs to hear it," he said.
The song that stayed with him most was Mano Kraštas ("My Homeland"), sung by both young and older participants at the festival.
