2013 marks the 40^th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic ties, but the bilateral relationship has been ongoing for more than 400 years.

Danang Today would like to share with our readers some photos of old scroll paintings which illustrate the long relationship between Viet Nam and Japan.  The photos were taken by the Deputy Director of the city’s Socio-Economic Development Research Institute, Mr Tran Duc Anh Son, during his recent visit to some museums in Japan.

An extract from the 1,003cm x 36.1cm Kiyo Suwa Myojin saishiju scroll painting, which dates from the 19th century, describes the Suwa Myojin Festival in Nagasaki City. The event aimed to honour the princess of Viet Nam’s Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu. Called Ngoc Khoa, she married a Japanese businessman, Mr Araki Sotaro, and her name was then changed to Anio.

An extract from the 11m-long Shuin-sen Kochi toko zukan scroll painting (late 18th and early 19th centuries) reflects the journey of a Japanese merchant ship from Nagasaki to Hoi An for commercial purposes. After that, it called at Phu Xuan City to present gifts to the Nguyen lord.

Extracts from the 487cm x 27.5cm Yonoe maki mono scroll picture painted by Ogata Tanko in the 18th century. The two elephants were bought from Quang Nam by General Tokugawa Yoshimune in 1728, and they were presented to Emperor Nakamikado and the French king Louis XV in 1729.