A Japan Festival begins at Kew Gardens this weekend featuring stunning large-scale artistic and horticultural installations along with live music, theatre and dance.

The event will be based in the majestic Temperate House, which is the world's largest surviving Victorian glasshouse, with over 10,000 plants.

At the Festival's heart is a large-scale artistic installation by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, titled One Thousand Springs.

It is constructed of 5,000 haikus, which were submitted by members of the public and focus on connections with nature, that are suspended from the roof on a spectacular sea of red threads.

The artist said: "Many cultural practices like ikebana, bonsai and hanami are based on the contemplation and enjoyment of nature. For One Thousand Springs I chose to focus on the haiku. The traditional haiku mentions one of the seasons and many haikus are based on observations in nature.'

A specially commissioned Chalk Garden will showcase native plants from Japan, including grasses, shrubs and trees. The garden, which is a collaboration between Otis Landscape Associates and kodai and associates, presents contemporary Japanese garden design within a uniquely British landscape.

As part of the festival, Kew's own horticultural team have designed a spectacular display celebrating the magnificent Chrysanthemum, Japan's national flower.

Chrysanthemums are culturally significant in Japan, featuring on passports and banknotes and renowned as a symbol of longevity, rejuvenation and goodwill. Kiku Matsuri (Chrysanthemum Festivals) feature across Japan every autumn.

Visitors can also experience an emotive, immersive soundscape by sound artist Yosi Horikawa, which is designed to capture the unique ambience of Japan's landscapes. It captures the harmonious natural sounds of the rivers and waterfalls of Kagoshima, as well atmospheric soundscapes from the Cedar mountains of Gifu and bird calls set across the waves of the Philippine Sea.

The head of visitor programmes and exhibitions, Paul Denton, said: "Kew has a strong connection to Japan through both our architectural features and our plants in the Gardens.

"The beauty and harmony of Japan is rich and fascinating, and the natural world as a whole is woven through Japanese culture in a unique and tangible way. We are honoured to celebrate the country's rich connection to nature through contemporary art, iconic plant displays, food and crafts in a brand-new festival this autumn."

There will be a series of special events at the weekends and after hours, including dance, theatre, and live music performances to traditional flower arranging and sake sipping.

Visitors can enjoy performances from dance company Butoh UK and electronic musician and DJ Anchorsong, whilst learning about the intricacies of sake with experts from Japan House London.

Demonstrations of the ritual art of ikebana – Japanese flower arranging – will be given by artist Hanako Matoya.

On weekend mornings, Japanese busker ICHI will be taking the notion of a one-man band to new limits, combining his quirky handmade instrument inventions with steel-drum, ping-pong balls, typewriter, toys and other everyday objects.

In the afternoons Japanese shodÅ master KASHU will present giant calligraphy performances, demonstrating this age-old Japanese tradition – a discipline of beauty and a search towards pure form and cultivating peace from within.

The festival is supported by Daikin UK, which produces heat pumps as an alternative gas heating, whose managing director, Angela McGinlay, said: "Since our business was founded in Japan nearly 100 years ago, our mission has been to create comfortable and sustainable interior environments for people all over the world.

"We look forward to meeting visitors to The Japan Festival – celebrating our Japanese heritage as the global market leader for heat pump systems while showing how renewable technology can help achieve complete home comfort and reduce our environmental impact.

"Ultimately, we want to build a better future for the planet – an ethos we are proud to share with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew."

The Festival runs from Saturday through to October 31.