The event, the sixth of its kind in Vietnam, is part of cultural activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

This year’s festival is expected to draw domestic and foreign tourists, as well as Japanese volunteers and local residents.

The exciting two-day event will include traditional handicraft performances like making lanterns, pottery, carpentry and fishing nets. Visitors will be treated to traditional boat racing and tours of the old quarter while an exhibition entitled Landscapes and Four Seasons of Japan by painter Goto Katsumi will be a delight to art fans.

Cuisine connoisseurs can enjoy both Vietnamese and Japanese food, while calligraphy fans will get a chance to compare Japan and Vietnam forms with some promised performances.

The festival will also see some knowledge exchanges through workshops on environmental protection and waste management.

It will be organised by the Hoi An municipal People’s Committee in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan’s Sakai city. The first Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange festival was held in Hoi An in 2003.

Hoi An ancient town was listed as the world cultural heritage site by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1999.