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| Festival goers had the chance to enjoy a traditional Japanese dance at the opening ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuan Khu |
Viet Nam News
HCMC — The Viet Nam – Japan Festival Day was held on Sunday in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relation between Viet Nam and Japan.
The festival gave visitors a glimpse of the countries’ cultures by featuring unique activities like a Japanese tea ceremony and Vietnamese tea culture, the Vietnamese ao dai, and traditional yukata and kendo (Japanese martial arts).
The festival is also an opportunity for Vietnamese and Japanese businesses to seek investment and co-operation.
The event was held by HCMC’s Union of Friendship Organisation and HCMC’s University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
“The Viet Nam – Japan relationship is at its best since the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973. The two countries have contined to hold high level exchanges, enhanced economic co-operation, and culture and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to a better understanding and beautiful friendship between the two countries, Nguyen Cong Tanh, chairman of HCMC’s Viet Nam – Japan Friendship Association, said at the opening ceremony.
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| The Viet Nam – Japan Festival Day was among a series of events to celebrate their 45th anniversary to further develop the beautiful friendship and enhance mutual understanding among people of HCMC and Japan. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuan Khu |
Kawaue Junichi, General Consul of Japan in HCM City, said that high level visits between the two countries along with events celebrating the 45th anniversary proved the strong development in many areas of the strategic partnership between Japan and Viet Nam.
Kawaue Junichi added that HCM City was the biggest city in Viet Nam and the key region to expand co-operation in Japan – Viet Nam relations, contributing to better mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries. The activities of HUFO, HCMC’s Viet Nam – Japan Friendship Association and other organisations had important meanings to the friendship of the two countries.
The Viet Nam – Japan Music Festival 2018 was organised and broadcast on national television on Saturday night, featuring exciting music performances by Vietnamese and Japanese artists.
"I’ve kept my promise of 30 years to ring the bell of Peace and Prosperity through the power of culture. I believe that in the future, Japan and Viet Nam will work closely together in all fields. I always feel that I am half Japanese, half Vietnamese. The Japan-Vietnam Music Festival 2018 featured leading Japanese singers with the desire to ring the deepest voices of friendship between Vietnam and Japan,” said Viet Nam-Japan and Japan-Viet Nam Special Friendship Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro, who is also a is a Japanese singer, painter and actor.
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| The Way of Tea was introduced at the Viet Nam - Japan Festival Day, held on Sunday in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuan Khu |
The ambassador wowed the audience with his performance of Doan Khuc Thu Ha Noi (Ditty for Ha Noi’s Autumn) in Japanese, a song by Vietnamese composer Trinh Cong Son.
The music show also brought Vietnamese audience back to their childhood with the famous song Doreamon No Uta, the opening theme song for the Doraemon anime. The exciting performance had both Vietnamese and Japanese lyrics.
Donning the traditional Japanese kimono, artist Godai Natsuko charmed the audience with the song Hoa Moc Te (Kinmokusei Flower), a flower that is popular during autumn in Japan, a meaningful season for the friendship between the two countries. — VNS