The Kanagawa festival will take place at the Lý Thái Tổ Garden by Hoàn Kiếm Lake on November 16-17. — Kanagawa Festival on Hanoi Facebook

HÀ NỘI — The Kanagawa festival, which features the original culture and tourism features of Japan, will take place at the Lý Thái Tổ Garden by Hoàn Kiếm Lake on November 16-17. 

The event will include a variety of cultural exchange activities that aim to enhance Vietnamese people’s understanding of Kanagawa Prefecture, particularly its tourism attractions and businesses.

Vietnamese pop star Noo Phước Thịnh will be a special guest performing with Japanese singer Ueno Yuka, who is also the ambassador of the festival.

The highlight of the event this year will be a traditional Japanese festival held at the Hà Nội Opera House on November 17, featuring many traditional art forms from Japan.

Each ticket for the event costs VNĐ100,000 (US$4.3) and all proceeds will be donated to the 

Nguyễn Đình Chiểu School for the Blind in Hà Nội.

According to the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism, the relations between Việt Nam and Japan have developed strongly in various fields, among which culture is the backbone.

Kanagawa festival is expected to create a cultural space connecting traditional Vietnamese and Japanese cultures, as well as honouring and promoting the cultures and arts of the two nations.

Located near Japan’s capital Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture still preserves many original cultural features of the country. It is famous worldwide for the beautiful Port of Yokohama and many tourism destinations like Hakone hot spring resorts, Lake Ashinoko or the Great Buddha of Kumakura.

Japan is one of the major markets for Việt Nam’s tourism. In 2018, the number of Japanese tourists to the country reached roughly 830,000, increasing 3.6 per cent in comparison with 2017.

In the first nine months of 2019, Việt Nam received over 620,000 Japanese tourists, increasing 13.7 per cent in compared with 2018.

Việt Nam’s main attractions to Japanese tourists are traditional cultures, cultural heritages, cuisine, handicraft productions, natural landscapes and historical relics.

On the other side, more and more Vietnamese are becoming interested in Japanese tourism. Nearly 390,000 Vietnamese tourists visited the country last year, according to Japan’s estimates. The increased rate of Vietnamese tourists to Japan also stands at the top.

Việt Nam also holds a festival in Kanagawa Prefecture. This year, the 6th Việt Nam festival in Kanagawa was held on September 7-8 with the theme "Exploring Việt Nam", expecting to promote cultural, economic and business exchanges between the two nations. — VNS