Over 100 Vietnamese expats join traditional Binzuru dance festival in Japan

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This year's festival marks the second consecutive participation of the Vietnamese community in Nagano, bringing together Vietnamese residents from different generations, including students, workers and families with young children.

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All members wear Happi outfits that embody a fusion of Vietnamese and Japanese cultures, featuring red and white panels symbolizing the national flags of Vietnam and Japan. The design combines the loose sleeves typical of Japanese festival attire with cherry blossom motifs and stylised lotus flowers, an iconic symbol of Vietnamese culture.

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They make up the largest foreign parade group ever to participate in one of Nagano's traditional festivals.

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Nguyen Ha Thuy, head of the Vietnamese delegation, shares that Vietnam's presence in the festival aims to showcase a Vietnamese community that is united and actively integrating into the local society. The Happi outfit conveys the troupe's message: a commitment to working with the local community to build a multicultural, harmonious, and inclusive society in Nagano Prefecture.

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The Binzuru festival helps to show an image of a united, dynamic, and culturally rich Vietnamese community to continue to spread widely.

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The Binzuru dance held in central Nagano City features a lively mass dance parade honouring Binzuru, a follower of Buddha known for healing. (Photo of JapanYuki)

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Nishizawa Masataka, chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Human Resources and Economic Exchange Association of Nagano Prefecture, says the active participation of the Vietnamese community in traditional festivals contributes to promoting multicultural coexistence and mutual understanding in the region. (Photo of JapanYuki)

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Parade leader Shiozawa Yasuhiro notes that the Vietnamese delegation brings new energy to the festival while helping Japanese and Vietnamese people gain a deeper appreciation of each other's cultures. (Photo of JapanYuki)