The dish has been served at the university cafeteria for a two-week period starting May 18.

Vietnam is already well known to many students at Kanda University, which has a Vietnamese language department and regularly hosts an annual Vietnamese speech contest. However, this marks the first time phở has been officially introduced at the university cafeteria.

The cultural exchange programme was jointly organized by the cafeteria and the university’s food studies division and has been warmly received by students.

To enhance the experience for students, organizers decorated the dining area with familiar elements of Vietnamese street food culture, including lanterns, plastic stools, snack carts and small grocery stalls.

The university also set up a dedicated phở counter to meet growing demand from students eager to try the Vietnamese dish.

Sato Yuta, the head chef responsible for preparing Vietnamese phở at the university cafeteria, said he initially learned to cook the dish following a Vietnamese recipe and is now adjusting the flavour to better suit Japanese tastes.

“One of phở’s defining characteristics is the aroma of fish sauce and the rich flavour of the broth, so we are trying to preserve those features when preparing the dish,” he shared.

According to Sato, many students first tried phở out of curiosity, but the dish has since gained a growing following among students, with long queues forming at lunchtime as they wait to enjoy the Vietnamese dish.

Fafa Moroi, a student at Kanda University, said her favourite aspects of phở are the chewy texture of the noodles and the aroma of the broth.

“I think Japan and Vietnam both place importance on broth flavours, so there are some similarities. But Vietnamese phở has the distinctive taste of simmered meat and the fragrance of spices. It’s really delicious,” she added.

Within just a few days, phở had become one of the cafeteria’s best-selling dishes.

Through the programme, the university hopes students will enjoy Vietnamese cuisine, learn more about Vietnam’s culture and consider studying Vietnamese at the university.

Vietnamese film “Mùi phở” earns VND38 billion, set for overseas release from Mar 13

VOV.VN - Vietnamese film “Mùi phở” (Scent of Pho), directed by Minh Beta, will be released in several foreign markets from March 13 after earning about VND38 billion during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Phở roadshow brings Vietnamese culinary culture to Europe

VOV.VN - A program aimed at introducing Vietnamese culinary culture through Phở, Vietnam’s traditional noodle dish, was launched at a press briefing held by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on May 14.