Some 50 sakura trees of different species, above 2.5m high each, and 10,000 branches of sakura blossoms will be displayed during the 2018 Vietnam-Japan Cultural Exchange Festival in downtown Hanoi, starting this weekend.
Sakura trees and branches will be exhibited in downtown Hanoi at the Japanese Culture Exchange Festival. (Photo: VNA)
The event, which will take place at Ly Thai To Park by Hoan Kiem Lake from March 23-26, aims to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties this year.
Experienced artisans from Japan are helping arrange the exhibition, the organisers said in a press briefing on March 19, adding that the Japanese sakura will be exhibited alongside local flowers.
The event will include various cultural activities, such as the introduction of the Japanese tea culture, chess, Kendama folk games and Japanese cuisine near Hanoi Children’s Palace, besides a Yosakoi dance performance by 17 teams on Dinh Tien Hoang street.
The event will also host various Vietnamese traditional arts such as ca tru(ceremonial singing), hat xam (blind busker’s singing) and folk dances.
Further, the Hanoi authorities and Japanese partners will hold a meeting to discuss tourism, health, education and economic investment.
Japanese cooks will demonstrate the preparation of traditional food, including ramen noodles, soba noodles, takoyaki cake and sushi