Japanese cherry blossom in Hanoi. This year's festival showed off the beauty of some 20,000 cherry blossom branches and 100 cherry trees of Japan, along with hundreds of local flowers. — VNA/VNS Photo

The four-day event, to start on March 27, will include a series of activities featuring both Vietnamese and Japanese cultural identities such as a Japanese tea ceremony, chess, Yosakoi (a unique style of Japanese dance typically performed at festivals and events), and folk games. They will be held along with Vietnamese traditional arts.

Visitors will have a chance to admire the beauty of the Japanese cherry blossom – the typical flower of Japan – and try their hand at the country’s tea ceremony, kimono traditional dress, calligraphy, photos of festivals and landscapes.

They will be able to take photos with Japanese cherry blossoms and some special Vietnamese flowers at the Ly Thai To Garden beside Sword Lake in Hoan Kiem District.

As part of the festival, conferences will be held to promote investment and tourism between Hanoi and Japan.

The annual event is aimed to popularise the image, culture and people of Japan to Hanoians, thus enhancing the relationship and co-operation between the two countries in multiple fields.

This year's festival, which also took place in March in central Hanoi, showed off the beauty of some 20,000 cherry blossom branches and 100 cherry trees of Japan, along with hundreds of local flowers.

During the three-day event co-organised by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, visitors enjoyed the Japanese Yosakoi street dance performed by large troupes, Japanese cuisine, Shogi chess, and Kendama (literally “sword and ball”, a traditional cup-and-ball toy).

Thousands of people visited the cherry blossom festival held in March this year in central Hanoi. — VNA/VNS Photo

Isao Ijima, Special Advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, noted his hope that more Vietnamese will come to Japan to study, work and travel.

He said cherry tree planting helped local residents understand more about Japanese culture, and tighten the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries.

A cherry tree planting ceremony was held at Hoa Binh Park in Hanoi’s Tu Liem District, which was home to more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees.

5th Hanoi cherry blossom festival to be held next March

The 5th Hanoi cherry blossom festival will be held in the heart of the capital city from March 27-30, according to representatives of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

VNS