At the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 (Photo: VNA) Tokyo (VNA) – The Vietnam Pho Festival 2023, the first of its kind, kicked off inYoyogi Park, Tokyo on October 7, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.
Speaking at theopening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said in recent years, the number of Japanese restaurantsserving Vietnamese cuisine has been steadily increasing, with 'Pho' being one ofthe most ordered and increasingly popular dishes in Japan.
Hesaid the two-day festival is the first of its kind in Japan to introduceVietnamese cuisine, particularly Pho, a unique Vietnamese dish. It is alsoexpected to further tighten people-to-people exchange and lasting friendshipbetween Vietnam and Japan.
TranXuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper and head of the organisingboard, said more than 50 food processors from southern provinces are also joiningtrade and investment promotion activities at this festival.
Headded that it is also the first time a Pho festival has been held abroad.
Inaddition to directly introducing the flavours of Pho, the event also features variouspromotional activities for Pho, including rice noodle roll performances, a talkshow called "Tinh yeu Pho Viet" (The Love for Vietnamese Pho) withthe participation of artisans, experts and celebrities from both Vietnam andJapan, a competition for Japanese people to create Vietnamese Pho, and anexhibition and video screenings providing information and the history of the dish.
Aspart of the festival, a trade promotion event for over 110 Vietnamese and Japanese producersand traders of food and products derived from rice and starch was also held.
Among40 booths, about half of them dedicate to serving Pho, including severalVietnamese restaurants. The two-day event is expected to attract hundreds of thousandsof visitors./.
