(VOV) - A tourism and cultural festival will be held in Tokyo and Fukuoka from September 11-20 to introduce local people to Vietnam’s typical specialties and call for cooperation in various areas.

The festival will offer a chance for the Southeast Asian nation to promote its distinctive cultural identity and increase cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Diverse activities will take place, including a music and dance programme, a fashion show, and a photographic exhibition that features the beauty of Vietnam’s land, people, culture, and heritage, as well as fine art handicrafts, costumes, and special dishes.  

Highlight of the festival will be the “Meet Vietnam” zone where more than 70 stands are put up to introduce different dishes from across Vietnam, traditional handicrafts, and tourist attractions.

Artisans will demonstrate trimming skills on different kinds of fruits to entertain Japanese visitors.

The Vietnam Festival in Japan, which was held for the firs time in 2008, attracting 150,000 visitors, has become a big event to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Vietnam and Japan lifted bilateral relationship to the strategic partnership in 2009, and they will celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties in 2013.