A HUNDRED scouts from across the region are rubbing shoulders with 30,000 others from around the globe at a massive gathering in Japan.

They are enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree, currently underway in a tented city near Kirara-hama.

And following a spectacular opening ceremony they are now taking part in hundreds of activities focused on discovering new cultures, the environment, sustainable development and global issues.

The youngsters taking part have spent 18 months planning and training for the unique cultural exchange.

Each had to fundraise £3,000 - with part of the fee supporting Scouts attending from Bhutan, Botswana and other developing countries across Eurasia.

They have been supported throughout their preparations by a dedicated team of adult volunteers.

One of the unit leaders, Dean Smith of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, said: “The Jamboree is a brilliant experience for the scouts, but it's huge fun for us adults too.

“I've loved watching them grow in confidence and self-esteem. The looks on their faces when they saw the Jamboree site for the first time was overwhelming.

“It's remarkable to see how their hard work has paid off."

Billy Hughes, a scout from Crook, County Durham, who is representing the UK at the jamboree, said “The Home Hospitality (HoHo) was great.

"I took part in a green tea tasting in a room with tatami mats on the floor and we had to sit on our knees.

"First you had to mix the tea with a brush until it was ready and then you drink it down in one go. The tea was warm, it wasn’t anything like I’d had before but I did like it, it felt quite old fashioned and seemed a more spiritual experience than the UK.”

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said “While lots of people know that scouting is all about adventure, they often don’t realise that adult volunteers get to do just as much as our young members through their involvement.

"The World Scout Jamboree is a great example of this. Nearly 4,000 scouts from across the UK are meeting 26,000 others from around the world and taking part in amazing adventures. That is why I love scouting so much.”