The Vietnam Festival at Yoyogi Park 2023 symbolises the hope of the governments, localities and peoples of the two countries in a new phase of relationship. Source: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Vietnam Festival in Japan 2023, has the theme "Hope," expressing the good wishes of the governments, localities, people and businesses of the two countries.

This is the opening event of a series of activities on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations (1973-2023).

On the morning of June 3, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang attended and spoke at the opening ceremony of the "Vietnam Festival at Yoyogi Park 2023" in Tokyo, Japan. Source: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

This year marks the 15th edition of the event in Japan, making significant contributions to enhancing unity and understanding between Vietnamese and Japanese people, as well as deepening the fine relationship between the two countries.

This is also the first time in four years that the festival has a water puppet show performed by artists of the Vietnam Puppet Theater.

A water puppetry troupe from Vietnam presents at the event for the first time to showcase the rich traditional culture of the country. Source: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Attending the opening ceremony were guests from Japan such as Princess Kako Akishino; senior adviser of the festival - former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo; Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa; Chairman of the Justice Party Yamaguchi Natsuo and many Japanese parliamentarians and local leaders.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on May 3, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang expressed her delight at the good, comprehensive and increasingly substantive development of the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership.

Hang emphasised that after 14 events, this year's festival with the theme "Hope" is not only the largest-scale Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange activity in 2023 - the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties, but also expressing the desire of the governments, localities and peoples of the two countries together towards the future, bringing the friendly cooperation and cooperation into a new phase.

Booths displaying Vietnamese handicrafts were set up. Source: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Government representatives and guests from Japan attending the opening ceremony, former PM Fukuda Yasuo and FM Hayashi Yoshimasa affirmed that the relationship between Japan and Vietnam is in the best period in history and believe that the strengthening of cultural exchange activities, typically this festival, will contribute to strengthening the friendship and understanding in the coming time.

The former Japanese PM said that the fact that many young Vietnamese people are now learning Japanese and coming to Japan is a testament to the extremely good relationship between the two countries.

FM Hayashi Yoshimasa affirmed that Vietnam-Japan relations are developing strongly in all fields, expressing his desire to bring the two countries relations to a new height.

This festival has the largest scale ever with nearly 150 stalls selling Vietnamese goods and cuisine, attracts about 200,000 visitors. Source: Vietnamese embassy

Vietnam Festival 2023 consisted 140 stalls, including 51 food stalls and 89 cultural display, exhibition and promotion booths. The Vietnamese Embassy has coordinated with the People's Committee of Bac Giang province to directly introduce fresh lychee to festival visitors, attracting guests to enjoy, including Japanese FM.

In addition to fruits, the stalls also introduce many traditional dishes such as pho, spring rolls, banh mi and special salted coffee.

Le Thi Phuong Thao, a representative of a Vietnamese business in Japan, said that Vietnamese cuisine has great appeal. In just a few hours of operation, the company's dishes brought to the festival such as banh mi and salted coffee were all sold out.

Music galas with the participation of famous Vietnamese singers such as Amee and Grey D enthralls locals and tourists. Source: Vietnamese embassy

The festival has the participation of a water puppetry troupe, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; popular singers such as Amee, Gray D, attracted more than 200,000 visitors, even though it was raining heavily from the day before to the opening hour of Tokyo due to the impact of typhoon circulation.

A large number of Vietnamese and Japanese friends lingered until the last hours of the festival, lighting up the stage with lights from their phones and singing "Hope" - the festival's theme song.

Closing the festival, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu was touched by the heart towards the homeland of the Vietnamese in the host country and the sincere feelings of Japanese friends; affirmed that "Hope" is the message expressing the desire that the two countries relations will develop more and more, the friendship between Vietnam and Japan cultivated over the years will continue to be strengthened.

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