YOKOHAMA – Inkhosikati LaMatsebula, accompanied by Princess Siphila, joined Japan’s First Lady Yoshiko Ishiba and several African First Ladies on a cultural tour of Sankeien Garden and Yokohama Strawberry Park this week.
The delegation included First Ladies Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço of Angola, Rachel Ruto of Kenya, Gupta Candane Chapo of Mozambique, Felicite Nelly Ngoute of Cameroon, Angelina Ndayishimiye of Burundi, and Dr Max Malumango, spouse of Zambia’s Vice President.
Princess Siphila, sister to His Majesty the King and Queen Mother of the Ndzundza Mabhoko clan of Ndebele, attended in a South African Ndebele-inspired outfit.
At Sankeien Garden, the visitors were treated to a performance of the Noh theatre classic The Feather Mantle. The play tells the story of a fisherman who finds a celestial maiden’s robe and agrees to return it in exchange for her dance, which she performs before disappearing into the mist near Mount Fuji.
Inkhosikati and the other First Ladies also participated in Noh drumming and singing lessons guided by professional musicians. Noh, regarded as the world’s oldest theatrical tradition and recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, is known for its distinctive masks, believed to carry spiritual significance.
The First Lady of Japan later hosted a luncheon where guests were introduced to an excerpt of the Japanese tea ceremony, Sado, and tasted traditional Matcha tea.
The visit concluded at Yokohama Strawberry Park, where the delegation picked strawberries cultivated by persons with disabilities under the guidance of experts. Opened in April 2022, the park was established to provide employment opportunities, foster independence and promote inclusivity for people with disabilities.
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