Bringing Hanoi phở to Tokyo to promote Vietnamese culinary essence
VOV.VN - Prominent activities promoting Vietnamese food culture, with phở (Vietnamese noodle soup) as a key highlight, were launched at the Vietnam Food Festival 2026 in Shiba Park, Tokyo, on October 24-25.
At the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu noted that Vietnamese cuisine is well-received in Japan, while Japanese food is equally familiar to the Vietnamese public. He called cuisine a bridge helping the two peoples better understand each other's culture, thereby strengthening Vietnam-Japan exchanges.
Truong Minh Tien, Chairman of the Hanoi UNESCO Association, said phở is not only a familiar dish but also a cultural essence crystallized, created, and enriched over generations of Vietnamese people. Hanoi phở carries a delicate flavor linked to the characteristics of Thang Long-Hanoi. Introducing pho in Tokyo offers the Japanese public an opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture and people.
Within the event framework, a roundtable titled "Vietnamese Phở Cultural Heritage" focused on cultural values, culinary knowledge, and the preservation and promotion of Vietnamese phở internationally.
Bui Thi Huong Thuy, head of the Art and Cultural Industries Division under the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said phờ is attached to daily life, memories, and habits of Hanoi residents and Vietnamese people in general. Hanoi identifies cuisine as a direction for cultural industry development and is building a culinary map for tourists to access stories behind the dishes. Hanoi currently has nearly 700 phở eateries with over 20 years of operation.
Alongside culinary knowledge, techniques, customs, and memories tied to Vietnamese phở, sketches of phở created by young Vietnamese artists were also displayed in Tokyo.
Morimoto Junichi, Marketing Director at Acecook Vietnam, said after over 30 years of operation in Vietnam, he sees phở's strong connection with both Vietnamese people and international friends, forming the basis for the enterprise to develop phở-related products to bring authentic flavors closer to modern consumers.
At the roundtable, Nguyen Truong Quan, Chairman of the Vietnam Chef Vocational Training and Employment Association, shared five principles for a good bowl of phở, covering noodles, ingredients, broth simmering techniques, spice blending, and serving methods. He noted that phở's refinement lies not only in preparation techniques but also in dining habits, daily life rhythm, and family memories passed down through generations.
The Vietnam Food Festival 2026 featured popular Vietnamese dishes, including phở, bún chả (grilled pork with rice noodles), bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich), and coffee, alongside cultural and artistic exchange activities with the participation of Vietnamese and Japanese artists.
Pho Festival 2025 promotes Vietnamese culinary heritage to the world
VOV.VN -Pho Festival 2025, themed "The Essence of Vietnamese Pho – A Heritage in the Digital Era," officially opened on April 18 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi, gathering more than 50 renowned pho brands from across the country.
Vietnamese Phở spreads culinary culture across Europe
VOV.VN - As part of the 2025 European Phở Week, the Vietnamese Embassies in Germany and Bulgaria simultaneously organized events to promote Phở (Vietnamese noodle soup) on December 12, coinciding with the annual “Phở Day”.
