Visitors at the festival line up to enjoy Vietnamese food. (Photo: VNA)
This is one of the largest Vietnamese festivals in Japan.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Governor of Kanagawa prefecture Kuroiwa Yuji said that this year's festival brought an atmosphere filled with Vietnam in Kanagawa. The festival is bigger than that in 2016.
He expressed his wish that each time the Vietnamese festival is held, the relationship between Vietnam and Kanagawa will be deepened.
Attending the Vietnamese Festival in Japan for the first time, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien said that the atmosphere and colour of the festival, the richness of culinary culture and kindness of the people is a symbol of the friendship between Vietnam and Japan - a deep strategic partner for peace and prosperity in Asia.
He affirmed that Japan is a long and leading important partner of Vietnam. Therefore, the relationship between Vietnam and Kanagawa prefecture will continue to develop comprehensively in all fields in the future.
According to the Minister, the Japanese tourist market is particularly important for Vietnam, because of its size and quantity. In 2016, Vietnam recorded more than 700,000 Japanese arrivals to Vietnam, and the number of Vietnam visitors to Japan also reached over 200,000.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien hoped that Vietnam-Japan would continue to share traditional cultural values and promote this important bridge to help bring the two people closer together.
This year's event has more than 100 booths, including stalls providing food, displaying culture and goods, handicrafts of Vietnam.
During the festival, apart from enjoying Vietnam’s traditional dishes and buying handicrafts, Japanese and international friends also visited an exhibition on Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.
This festival is expected to attract about 500,000 visitors, and it not only contributes to the development of the friendship between Vietnam and Japan, but also expands economic exchange and attracts tourists of both countries./.