The Japan-Viet Nam Cultural Exchange Festival 2016 ended at Da Nang’s Han River Port on Sunday and left a deep impression on locals and visitors.

Chairman Tho (black suit) and Japanese representatives at the Kagami Biraki Festival (Photo: danang.gov.vn)

The 3-day event featured a total of over 75 cultural, cuisine and information stands, an increase of 15 compared with last year.  It attracted over 62 delegations from Japan, including 25 arts troupes from Sakai and Mitsuke cities.  They performed traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, Ikebana flower arrangement, calligraphy, singing and dancing. 

Also at the event, Japan’s Kushiro and Nagasaki cities introduced their culinary identities, whilst Mitsuke City offered visitors an insight into its kite making art. Some popular tourist attractions in Yokohama, Narita and Sakai cities were also publicised.

In addition to the annual cultural and arts exchange activities, there was a studying abroad information seminar, a job fair, a Japanese speaking contest, a Kimono fashion show, and singing competitions for employees of Da Nang-based Japanese businesses and students of the Japanese language.

Speaking at the opening ceremony last Friday, Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho said, “I hope that this year’s festival will help to strengthen the bilateral cooperative relationships with some of Japan’s localities in foreign affairs, the economy, healthcare and education.  The annual event is a good opportunity for the city to advertise its beautiful images to Japanese citizens and to attract more investors to the city from Japan.”

The reception in progress (Photo: danang.gov.vn)

Last Friday, Chairman Tho warmly received Japan’s Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr Tsutomu Tomioka, and the Mayor of Nagasaki City, Mr Tomihisa Taue.

The city leader briefed his guests on the traditional friendship between Nagasaki City and central regional localities over recent years.  He added that Da Nang was giving top priority to promoting the development of hi-tech industries, tourism services, human resources, and healthcare.

In reply, Deputy Minister Tomioka thanked the city leader for his warm welcome, hoping that the bilateral cooperative relationships with Da Nang would be lifted to new heights.  The focus will be on promoting cooperation in such aspects as technological science, cancer treatment techniques, human resource training, and cultural exchange.