People in the central coastal city of Da Nang will have a chance to see cherry blossoms at the first Hanami festival to be held at Asia Park on April 9-10.

100 saplings have been planted in Asia Park and 50 branches will be sent to the cherry blossom festival that promises to bring visitors a colorful space.

The Hanami (cherry blossom) festival will also feature many cultural activities such as Japanese culinary demonstrations, a kimono fashion show, kirigami (paper cutting art), and origami (paper folding art).

Visitors will also be able to wear yukata, cosplay costumes, play traditional Japanese games, and taste delicious foods.

There will be aikido and kendo demonstrations, Japanese tea art, calligraphy performances, and a music show.

The Hanami festival is expected to become an annual event at the park to popularise Japanese culture and strengthen friendship between the two peoples, organisers said.

Lao New Year festival comes to Da Nang

A Laos-Vietnam cuisine and cultural performance exchange will be held at the Laos General Consul in Da Nang in celebration of Lao New Year, Boun Pimai (Pi Mai Lao).

The Laos General Consul said the annual event, to be held on April 8, would be a rendezvous for Laos expats, Vietnamese friends and international organisations in Da Nang and the neighbouring provinces of Kon Tum, Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue on the occasion of the Laos New Year celebration.

The event will see 22 pavilions featuring Lao cuisine during Boun Pimai (April 14-16) at 16 Tran Quy Cap Street in the city.

Vietnamese artists and Lao expats will jointly perform the Lao traditional dances and folk songs on the festive night.

Da Nang has provided scholarships for more than 700 Lao students studying in colleges across the city as well as for education and investment projects in Laos.

The city has built relationships with provinces in southern Laos and signed up for assistance projects for provinces in Laos, worth a total of 2 million USD, from 2013 to 2017.

The city inked 29 Memorandums of Understanding with cities and provinces, such as Vientiane, Savannakhet, Champasak and Sekong, as well as Salavan, Attapu, Bolikhamsay and Xaynhaburi.

VNA