Japan Sakura Festival 2008

On Sunday 6 April 2008, the Japan Sakura Festival (Lễ hội hoa anh đào Nhật Bản tại Việt Nam 2008) took place at Giảng Võ Trade Fair Center in Hanoi. The event was organized in order to celebrate the 35 year anniversary of the Vietnam - Japan friendship. Many people in Hanoi visited the place. Most of them are young people or students who are learning Japanese. I learned Japanese for 3 years, traveled in Japan on business in 2004 and now still working with the Japanese, so I went to this cultural event with great interest.

Sakura is the famous flower which is the symbol of Japan. Late March and April are the best time to see cherry blossom. 300 branches of Sakura were brought to this festival from Japan, then attached to 3 big trees, as we could see the soil bags at the connection points. Lots of bees were flying around Sakura.

The cherry blossoms at the festival had pink and white color. Yesterday I saw Sakura for the first time and it was so great to see them right here in Hanoi. When I visited Japan in November 2004, it was the red leave season (Koyo) in autumn, so I didn't have the chance to see Sakura.

Some other activities at the festival were Kimono performance (a Japanese lady explained how to wear a Yukata - summer kimono), Soba noodle made with hands, Aikido class, Super Yosokoi performance, Obon dancing, Yosokoi parade on Hanoi's street, Kabuki performance etc., as well the games like Kendama (ball throwing), Senbon Tsuri (toy picking), Origami etc.

This is the second time the Japan Sakura Festival was held in Hanoi. The last festival in 2007 attracted about 10,000 visitors. This year, the event was organized by the Vietnam - Japan Cultural Exchange Association at a larger area from 10:00am to 6:30pm, so that more people could enjoy Sakura and know about the Japanese culture. Chochin (Japanese lantern), Koi (Japanese carp) and Japanese photos were also displayed at the festival.

Link to the next festival: Japan Sakura Festival 2009 which was organized from 10 to 12 April 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

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