Kolkata, March 13 (IANS): The 30th edition of the Indo-Japan cultural festival will kick-off here on Saturday to celebrate and strengthen the ties between the two nations, a statement said.

"The 30th In-Nichi Bunkasai (Indo-Japan cultural festival) celebrates the cultural bond between India and Japan. It is a platform for the confluence of cultures where language is not a barrier," a Japan consulate statement said on Friday.

Organised by the consulate in collaboration with Nihongo Kaiwa Kyookai Society (a Japanese language organisation), the event will witness students and teachers of both countries perform songs, dances and skits at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture.

Songs by the children of the Japanese Supplementary School in Kolkata, a Japanese skit by the Japanese and Indian teachers, modern Indian dance, and a Japanese drama enacted by the Indian students are some of the items to be performed, the release said.