From Aug 18 to 20, the historic city of Hoi An will reenact a 17th-century wedding parade held for Princess Ngoc Hoa and Japanese businessman Araki Sotaro in the old quarter as part of the 14th annual Hoi An and Japan Culture Festival.

Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province.

According to the city’s Culture and Sports Centre, the parade marks the relationship between the Japanese community and Hoi An City which began 400 years ago when Japanese traders docked at this bustling trading port. Many of the homes built by these traders have in fact been preserved to this very day.

Local residents preserved the tombs of Japanese traders who died in Hoi An in the 17th century. The oldest was Tani Yajirobei’s, who was believed to have died in 1647. His records included the oldest and clearest information related to his life, including a love affair with a local woman.

This love story reflected the close relationship between Japanese traders and Hoi An residents during a wealthy period of the town’s history in the early 17th century. Japanese singers Min, Ueno Yuuka, One Asia Join Concert band, and the Hanoi Sennen Yosakoi Dance team will perform at the festival along with local folk art troupes.

Vietnamese and Japanese participants will demonstrate cosplays and martial arts performances of karate, judo, and Vietnamese traditional Vovinam, while craftsmen will offer visitors traditional Yukata try-on, origami (paper folding) and local lantern making.

Artist Nguyen Quoc Dung will display his photo collection at the city’s Sculpture Park on the Hoai River bank, while French photographer Rehahn will display his photos from his trans-Vietnam field trips. The city will also be exhibiting photos of the cooperation between Hoi An and Japan in the last two decades.

Last year, the Hoi An and Japan Culture Festival also be held in Hoi An City with many attractive, including cultural performances, photo exhibitions, sports activities, fashion show and folk games will take place on stages at the city’s rest-stop site in Bach Dang street, the Sculpture Park, the Old Quarter and the Japanese Bridge.

Craftsmen from Sakai has introduced their products at the Sculpture Park at the festival along with Japanese calligraphy training, Origami art and Vietnamese palm leaf folding. During the festival, a seminar on the restoration of the Japanese Bridge is held in Hoai River Square./.

VNF/Hanoitimes