The Vietnam Festival “Hello Saitama” will take place in the Japanese prefecture of Saitama from September 1-3, re-enacting the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival and bringing it to the Japanese people and the Vietnamese community living there, according to a report by VNA.
The festival is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties this year. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan on August 2.
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| At the press conference. Photo: VNA |
The festival, the first of its kind held in Saitama, will showcase star lanterns, lion dance performances, and the flavors of mooncakes. Over 60 booths will be set up to introduce Vietnamese cuisine, including popular dishes that have become an integral part of Japanese culinary culture, such as pho, banh mi, noodles, spring rolls, banh xeo (crispy rice pancake), and coffee.
The festival will also feature traditional ethnic art performances and games such as shuttlecock kicking. One highlight of the event is the first-time appearance of “chau van” singing, a traditional Vietnamese music genre.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu emphasized the significance of the Vietnam Festival “Hello Saitama” in the context of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He expressed hope that the festival would allow Japanese people to experience Vietnamese culture and deepen the friendship between the two nations.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu speaks at the press conference. Photo: VNA |
Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Saitama prefecture, Pham Dinh Thuong, stated that the success of the festival will pave the way for it to become an annual event for the Vietnamese community in Saitama in the coming years.
The event is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Japanese and Vietnamese people in Japan.
Saitama is a province bordering the capital Tokyo, in the central part of Japan, and is home to a large number of Vietnamese people, with over 40,000 residents.
In ancient Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival was a time to celebrate the end of the harvest season and strengthen family bonds. Parents would present their children with gifts and sweets under the light of the full moon. This tradition, also known as Tet Trung thu or the Children’s Festival, has been celebrated for generations and continues to be cherished by Vietnamese families today.
The Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in Japan will not only commemorate the end of summer vacation for children but also provide an opportunity to celebrate the full moon and prepare for the new school year.
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