Co-hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and Kanagawa Prefecture, the festival was first launched in 2015 at the initiative of Governor Kuroiwa Yuji, with the goal of deepening bilateral relations.

This year’s event featured the attendance of Governor Kuroiwa Yuji and representatives of Japanese agencies, along with Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong.

In his opening remarks, Governor Kuroiwa stressed that the festival not only enhances cultural exchange and mutual understanding but also bolsters economic and human resource cooperation, contributing significantly to Kanagawa’s development. He noted that while Kanagawa had no Vietnamese investors in 2015, the figure has now risen to 21, while 32 Kanagawa enterprises are operating in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese community in Kanagawa has also grown from 10,000 to over 40,000 people, playing an increasingly important role in the prefecture.

Deputy Minister Ho An Phong expressed confidence that Vietnam–Japan friendship and cooperation will continue to flourish. Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu highlighted that the festival has become a cultural rendezvous and one of the most anticipated events for both peoples, with some 40,000 “cultural ambassadors” helping spread the best of Vietnamese culture across Japan.

This year’s program featured performances by young Vietnamese artists, traditional water puppetry by the Vietnam National Puppetry Theatre, and a showcase of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

The two-day festival is expected to attract about 100,000 visitors.

Vietnam Festival in Japan to take place on May 31 and June 1

A press conference took place in Tokyo on May 8 to announce the upcoming Vietnam Festival, set to take place at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo on May 31 and June 1.