Attending the opening ceremony were Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, Japan’s Senator Matsuda Iwao and Ambassador to Vietnam Sakaba Mitsuo.

The three-day festival, which takes place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Hoi An Ancient City being recognized as a world cultural heritage site and the city receiving a certificate recognising the Cham Islands as a World Biosphere Reserve, includes various programmes spotlighting the culture of Japan and Vietnam.

According to Japanese Ambassador Sakaba Mitsuo, during the festival, visitors will have a chance to see the “Japanese People’s Street”, which existed in Hoi An 400 years ago.

After the town was recognised as a world cultural heritage site in 1999, many Japanese experts arrived here to help preserve it, he said, adding that this was evidence of the deep relationship between Vietnam and Japan over the past 400 years.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son affirmed that Japanese traders who came to Vietnam during the early 16th century laid the foundation for present day Vietnam-Japan exchange activities.

The friendship and cooperation between the two nations have continuously developed over years, especially in politics, economics, culture and education, towards a “strategic partnership”.

To honour traditional cultural values, a Vietnamese cultural space was recreated featuring 30 houses with typical designs of Dong Son (Thanh Hoa Province), Gong (Central Highlands provinces) as well as My Son and Hoi An characteristics.

The organising board invited Prof. Tran Van Khe and Prof. Hoang Chuong to talk about the development of folk music.

Apart from familiar activities, such as the Japanese tea ceremony, taking photos in the Yukata costume, there are three troupes from Japan with 300 artists who will, for the first time, take part in a drumming performance. Pianist Highuchi Ayuko will also play the piano.

A seminar “Hoi An-10 years of being a World Cultural Heritage Site” will be held to review Vietnam’s activities and achievements in preserving and upholding the cultural values of the ancient town which bears the imprint of Japanese culture.

On the occasion, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan handed over a certificate from UNESCO recognising Cham Islands as a World Biosphere Reserve to leaders of Quang Nam Province and Hoi An City.

The exhibition is the first of its kind in Ho Chi Minh City since liberation on April 30, 1975, according to the organisers.

It introduces for the first time to the public such documents as the map of “yellow sand beach”, drawn by Do Ba and printed in the “Toan Tap Thien Nam chi lo do thu”; the map of “Dai Nam thong nhat toan do” by Phan Huy Chu (1834); a map of the Hoang Sa-Truong Sa meteorological observance station, and a map featuring place-names of the Truong Sa archipelago (1973).

Also on the first-time display are a list of people working at the hydro-meteorological station on the Hoang Sa Island in 1952, a decision dated June 27, 1961 regarding the employment of Mr. Hoang Yen to work as an administrative envoy on the Hoang Sa island, and a sovereign stele installed on Patte iIsland of the Hoang Sa archipelago (1937).

Apart from rare documents, the exhibition also reserves parts of its space for photos portraying Vietnamese military activities to defend the archipelagos as well as researches on the archipelagos.

Vietnam displayed bronze drums, gongs and handicrafts, notably brocade and pottery products, as well as the familiar conical hat. Traditional dances were performed at the festival

Tran Thi Vinh, wife of Vietnamese ambassador to Canada Nguyen Duc Hung, said the embassy wanted to introduce the country’s beauty and friendliness.

The annual festival is an opportunity for students to learn about the cultures of nations around the world.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Fukuoka prefecture’s Governor Wataru Aso said that the exchanges and cooperation between the two localities have been intensified in many fields, such as economy, tourism, environment, culture and skills training, since Hanoi and Fukuoka signed a cooperation agreement in February, 2008.

The strong cooperation can be seen through the establishment of the Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka’s third diplomatic mission in Japan after the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo and Consulate General of Vietnam in Osaka, Governor Wataru added.

He also praised efforts to open direct flights between Hanoi and Fukuoka, which according to him will create favourable conditions for travelling between the two localities as well as boost bilateral economic cooperation.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Phi Thai Binh added that the inauguration of the flights will coincide with the 55th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day, which will fall on October 10. This will also serve as a friendship bridge between the two sides.

Meanwhile, Consul General Vu Huy Mung said that the recent visit to Fukuoka by high-ranking Hanoi officials led by its Chairman Nguyen The Thao, along with the festival and the establishment of direct flights, have marked a new stage in the development of friendship and cooperation between the two localities.

Consul General Mung expressed his hope that the cooperation between the two sides will steadily develop, contributing to building the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan, for the sake of peace and prosperity in Asia.

The festival for Hanoi-Vietnam days in Fukuoka is expected to last till October 11 with a series of activities including musical performances, traditional dance, an exhibition on Vietnamese handicrafts, a film presentation and a talk to introduce Vietnam’s culture.

On October 7, the Hanoi People’s Committee worked with the Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka to hold a workshop to promote investment in Hanoi with the participation of 100 Japanese businesses and 12 others from Hanoi.