The opening ceremony of the second Vietnam Yosakoi Festival and the 2024 Vietnam-Japan Cultural Festival took place on April 13, at Hanoi-based Aeon Mall Ha Dong.

24 Yosakoi teams with nearly 900 people took part in the event, bringing traditional and colorful Japanese dance closer to the Vietnamese public.

Dancers in colorful costums performing Yosakoi. Photo: Dinh Hoa

The two-day event is hosted by the Vietnam - Japan Cultural Exchange Association, in collaboration with Nui Truc-Sugi Ryotaro Japanese Language Center, Institute for Research and Development of Culture, Language and Education, and a number of other agencies and units.

The festival attracts the participation of 19 Yosakoi Vietnam teams with a total of nearly 800 dancers, representing all three regions from Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, and 5 Japanese Yosakoi teams with 70 members from Tokyo, Osaka, Kochi and Yamaguchi prefectures.

Nearly 900 Vietnamese and Japanese dancers performed Yosakoi at Hanoi. Photo: Dinh Hoa

Many Yosakoi dance performances such as "Ban Vuong xuong - Qua son chi ca" about the formation of the Dao ethnic group by the Hanuyo team; “Lac Long Tam” about the spirit of solidarity of the Vietnamese people of the Nui Truc Sakura Yosakoi team; “Tosa e” - towards the land of Tosa, the cradle of Yosakoi of the ULIS Yo team.

Thai Huynh Truc Tam, a member of the Yosago dance team, said that Yosago was established in 2008 to gather young people who are passionate about Yosakoi in Ho Chi Minh City. Coming to this year's Vietnam Yosakoi Festival, the group performed the Yosakoi dance with the music "Saigon dep lam" (Saigon is so beautiful) remixed with a more vibrant and joyful rhythm. The members also use berets to coordinate with traditional Japanese costumes.

According to Truc Tam, the dance was choreographed with the desire to create an interaction between Vietnamese and Japanese cultures, so that those who are coming into contact with Yosakoi for the first time can feel the closeness and familiarity. From there, more and more young people will know, learn and love the traditional culture of Yosakoi as well as the country and people of Japan.

When performing Yosakoi, dancers often wear costumes that are rich in style and diverse in color. The “Happi” – a loose informal Japanese coat and the brightly colored “Yukata” - a kind of summer Kimono, are the two most commonly used. Dance teams also often design their own costumes based on dance content, historical events, popular fashion trends or national costumes.

Yosakoi dancers use naruko as a percussion instrument. Photo: Dinh Hoa

One of the defining aspects of Yosakoi is the use of “naruko”, small wooden clappers held in the hands of each dancer. The original “naruko” has black and yellow beaters on a wooden body, but most modern Yosakoi groups create our own “naruko”, choosing colors and materials that match their performing costumes.

In addition, dance groups will also use many other props to help the performance become more prominent and lively such as fans, lanterns, flags, to name a few.

Festival-goers watch Yosakoi dance. Photo: Dinh Hoa

The first time he saw the Yosakoi performance, Tran Hoang Long, a 2nd year student, majoring in Fashion Design, the University of Industrial Fine Arts, was impressed with the perfect combination of strong dances and costumes, colorful props and vibrant music.

"This will be a new source of inspiration for me to design costumes with Vietnamese-Japanese cultural influences in the future," Hoang Long said.

According to Suzuki Atsuyuki, general manager of Aeon Mall Ha Dong, the Yosakoi festival originated in Kochi province in 1954 and is known as a joyful and energetic dance, as a way to liven up everyone. Thanks to this spirit, the dance has become popular not only in Japan but also in many countries around the world, including Vietnam.

Every place Yosakoi spreads, there is diversity and creativity in terms of music, costumes, colors, and hairstyles, but what remains constant is the smile on each performer's face. This is Yosakoi's way of spreading positivity to everyone, erasing all gaps, he said.

Suzuki hopes that the event will give young people attending many rich experiences, serving as a bridge between the two countries, bringing Vietnamese and Japanese cultures closer together.

Le Ngoc Dinh, VIJACA chairman, said that the second Vietnam Yosakoi Festival and the 2024 Vietnam - Japan Cultural Festival are organized to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the two countries' anniversary. establish diplomatic relations and contribute to promoting the Vietnam - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

This year the festival is held longer, expanding in terms of composition and number of participants, especially with the participation of Japanese dancers.

“VIJACA hopes to continue to maintain and turn the Vietnam - Japan Cultural Festival into an annual festival of Vietnam. At the same time, find new features every year to attract interest and attract more participants," said Dinh.

Shogi, also known as Japanese Chess, is the most popular chess variant native to Japan and has been around in its current form since the 16th century. Photo: Dinh Hoa

Besides the Yosakoi dance, when participating in the 2024 Vietnam - Japan Cultural Festival, participants have the opportunity to experience some unique cultural features of the two countries such as Vietnamese ao dai performance; Dong Ho paintings making; Yukata try-on; Origami paper folding art; Japanese games such as Japanese Shogi, also known as Japanese Chess, Go, an abstract strategy board game for two players, Koma (square-ended wooden spool used to maintain tension with Japanese/Japan threads), Kendama ("sword [and] ball"), among others.

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