Two Japanese artists perform nihon buyo (a traditional Japanese performing art combined dance and pantomime) at the Tokyo City Promotion 2015 event yesterday. — VNS Photo Minh Thu

HA NOI (VNS) — Nihon buyo, a traditional Japanese performing art, was performed at an event yesterday (Jan 26) promoting Tokyo as a tourist destination.

This mixture of dance and pantomime, which emerged in the early Edo period (early 17th century) from earlier traditions, is famous as the style of dancing performed by geisha.

During the two-day event, part of the co-operative framework of Asia's large cities in the 21st century, Tokyo's Government and Tourism Department also presented traditional tea ceremony, cuisine and festivals.

Besides Jakarta, Ha Noi is considered one of the most promising destinations sending tourists to Tokyo around the Asia-Pacific region, according to Yamamoto Tahashi, general director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Bureau of Industrial and Labour Affairs.

"Starting last year, the Tokyo Government has organised various programmes in Viet Nam to promote the city as a tourist destination," he said. "Looser visa procedures for Vietnamese tourists also helped increase the number of Vietnamese tourists to Japan in general and Tokyo in particular."

During the tourism promotion event, two seminars for the Vietnamese press and the travel agents introduce culture, nature, beauty spots and services in the city with the aim of luring more Vietnamese tourists.

"Last year, Tokyo received more than 116,000 tourists from Viet Nam but we aren't satisfied with the number. We desire to receive more Vietnamese tourists," Tahashi said. "I expect that [Vietnamese tourists] will help Tokyo become one of the top destinations in the world."

This year, the Tokyo Government and Tourism Department will offer various forms of preferential treatment for Vietnamese tourists. A website introducing cuisine at restaurants and hotels in Tokyo will be available in Vietnamese, added Tahashi.

Speaking at the seminar yesterday, deputy director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Truong Minh Tien said he was glad to see Ha Noi as a tourism promotion destination for Tokyo in 2015.

"Together with the development of diplomatic relations, tourism co-operation between the two countries is also thriving," he said. "Last year Viet Nam received 647,000 tourists from Japan, increasing nine per cent in comparison with 2013."

The tourism agencies of Viet Nam and Japan have enhanced bilateral co-operation to boost the number of tourists. It's expected that Japan will receive 200,000 tourists from Viet Nam and Viet Nam will receive 2 million tourists from Japan in 2017.

"The Tokyo promotion event is a chance for tourism businesses of the two countries to co-operate and exchange tourism activities," he said. "The event also helps Vietnamese people understand Japan and its people and enhance the friendship between the two countries."

Today's seminar drew 80 representatives of Vietnamese travel companies including Vietrantour, Hanoi Tourist, Saigontourist and Viettravel.

"More and more Vietnamese people choose Japan for their vacations because of the beautiful nature, friendly people and similarities in culture and customs," said Vietrantour representative Le Cong Nang. "The Japanese Government especially focuses on promoting the country's image in Viet Nam through festivals and cultural exchanges."

Last year, Vietrantour brought more than 1,000 Vietnamese tourists to Japan. Nang believed that with strategies to promote tourism and effective co-operation with Vietnamese partners, the number of Vietnamese tourists to Japan would increase rapidly in the near future. — VNS