11th Vietnam–Japan Festival to attract about 450,000 visitors

The 11th Vietnam–Japan Festival, which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on March 7–8, is expected to attract around 450,000 visitors, heard a press conference on February 27.

Pham Dut Diem, Director of the municipal Department of External Relations, highlighted the significance of the festival, saying that it contributes to further deepening and substantiating the sound relationship between Vietnam and Japan in general, as well as Ho Chi Minh City and Japan in particular, especially in the context that the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world in November 2023.

In that spirit, the 11th edition of the festival aims to promote sustainable development and jointly build a prosperous future for Japan and Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City and its Japanese partners. Over the past 10 editions, with diverse and practical activities, the festival has affirmed its important role in enhancing cultural exchanges, boosting trade, investment and tourism promotion, and strengthening friendship and mutual understanding, he added.

Japanese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Ono Masuo said the festival will feature a wide range of activities across culture, society, economy and academia, offering engaging experiences for visitors.

According to Ono, Japan–Vietnam relations will continue to grow stronger in 2026. People-to-people exchanges serve as the foundation for building close ties between the two nations, he said, adding that the festival will see the participation of numerous Japanese organisations, notably a delegation from Hokkaido, joining exchange activities with residents of Ho Chi Minh City, thereby further consolidating and deepening people-to-people relations.

The festival will include trade, culinary and tourism exchange programmes, promotion of Vietnamese and Japanese products, Vietnam–Japan cultural and artistic exchanges, a seminar on Vietnam–Japan tourism trends, as well as sports and youth exchange activities between Ho Chi Minh City and Japan.

According to the organising board, several programmes and events will debut at the festival, including a seminar on human resource development for a sustainable future towards an Olympic city vision; the COS-MIC ASIA in JVF event; an ao dai (traditional long dress) design contest and a kimono design workshop; and performances of Vietnamese and Japanese court music.

The trade, culinary, cultural and tourism exchange and promotion programme is expected to be the largest ever, featuring over 300 booths run by enterprises from both countries. The cultural and artistic exchange programme promises vibrant and youthful performances by artists from the two nations, including singers Dong Nhi, B Ray and Captain Boy, and Japanese boy band Psychic Fever from Exile Tribe.

The 10th edition, themed “Holding Hands Together – Towards the Future,” saw enthusiastic participation, attracting more than 430,000 visitors.