DA NANG — Japanese artists will demonstrate a traditional sword performance at the Japanese Bridge in the annual Hoi An-Japan Cultural Festival next month.

The festival, which will mark its 10th anniversary in Hoi An City, will include Japanese and Vietnamese artists performing in programmes of Tate (Japanese traditional sword performance), a concert by Japanese singer Mika Kabayashi and a sushi night, plus other events.

"Hoi An still has a Japanese culture and history," said Yoko Ishikawa, a Japanese resident in Hoi An City who is on the organising committee.

"The city used to be a busy trading port a few hundred years ago and the Japanese were one of the biggest communities at that time," she said. "The Japanese bridge was built to link the Japanese side of town with the Chinese quarter, which is Hoi An's signature landmark and used as the emblem of the city."

During the main festival on August 26-28, the professional Tate sword performance group will show the unique and detailed sword moves and high-level techniques.

They collaborate with artists from different Japanese genres.

Mika Kabayashi, who has done various live music concerts in Japan, Italy and Germany, will give a solo performance as she did in Florence, Italy.

The festival is held in collaboration of Hoi An City, the Japanese Embassy, the Japanese foundation, the Japan International Co-operation Agency, Showa women's university, and Japanese residents in Viet Nam. — VNS