VISITORS from Japan will be welcomed to Otley next month.

Walkers are Welcome (WaW) Otley steering group member Randal Metzger, the organisation’s National Chair, enjoyed a two week trip to Japan last year as part of a UK delegation.

Now representatives from the Walkers are Welcome region of Hokkaido are preparing to make the journey to Yorkshire. They will be greeted by local WaW members at a welcoming reception in the Black Horse Hotel’s function room on Wednesday, July 24.

Mr Metzger, who gave a talk during his time in Japan about Otley’s achievements as an accredited WaW community, said: “The reception will include a brief presentation of my visit to Japan and a slide show by our visitors highlighting Hokkaido, the most northerly region of Japan, and the work they are doing based on the WaW model to attract visitors.”

The Japanese group will be in Otley for three days before visiting Meltham and Hebden Bridge.