FOUR young girls from the town of Bihoro on Hokkaido, the most

northerly of Japan's main islands, went to Loch Ness yesterday to seek

the cousin of Kusshi.

That is the name given to a Nessie look-alike which first showed up 15

years ago in Lake Kussoro, near where the girls live.

The Scottish loch was keeping its secrets, however, and they had to

settle for the replica monster floating beside the Official Loch Ness

Monster Centre at Drumnadrochit.

The girls are on a four-day visit to the Highlands as guests of

Glenurquhart Secondary School at Drumnadrochit.

Their interpreter was Itsuko Alston, the only official Japanese

tourist guide who lives in the Highlands.

Mrs Alston, whose Scots husband, David, runs the Cromarty Courthouse

tourist attraction on Ross-shire's Black Isle, is hoping to arrange for

a group of Glenurquhart teenagers to go to Hokkaido.

She said: ''This is the fourth year in succession that I have shown

children from Bihoro the attractions of Loch Ness and the Highlands.

They are very impressed with the area.''