Mayor Takeshi Aoyama of Knoxville’s Sister City Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan, arrives with a delegation of visitors Friday to meet with Mayor Madeline Rogero, tour Knoxville’s sites and attend the fifth annual Knox Asian Festival on Market Square.

“We’re excited to have Mayor Aoyama and visitors from our Sister City visiting Knoxville on such a lively weekend,” said Mayor Rogero. “They were such gracious hosts when I visited last year, and we look forward to returning the favor with Knoxville hospitality.”

The visiting delegation includes current and former Muroran city employees, as well as parents of Muroran exchange students who have visited Knoxville in previous years and stayed with the families of local students.

During their visit, the delegation will visit downtown Knoxville and cruise on the Star of Knoxville riverboat. The main event is Sunday’s Knox Asian Festival, where Nashville-based Consul General of Japan Hiroyuki Kobayashi will join Mayors Aoyama and Rogero in making the festival’s opening remarks. 

The Knox Asian Festival will be held Sunday, Aug. 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. in Market Square, Krutch Park and parts of Clinch Avenue in downtown Knoxville. The three performance stages will host a mix of dance, music, drumming, tai chi and yoga, as well as a cosplay contest and parade. Food court vendors will be selling a variety of dishes originating in multiple Asian cultures and regions that include Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, China and others.