Experiencing the sounds and soul of Vietnamese culture in Japan

On December 11, at the invitation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre performed “Experiencing the sounds and soul of Vietnamese culture” in Tokyo, Japan.

Experiencing the sounds and soul of Vietnamese culture in Japan

On December 11, at the invitation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre performed “Experiencing the sounds and soul of Vietnamese culture” in Tokyo, Japan.

Ms. Thai Thu Hong, wife of the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, delivered the opening speech at the event. Photo: Nguyen Tuyen/VNA reporter in Japan

Enjoying the performance were Ms. Nakasone Mariko, President of the Asia-Pacific Women's Friendship Society (ALFS) in Japan; Ms. Fujimoto Atsuko - Executive Director of ALFS, Ms. Nakata Yukako - wife of the Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Sapporo; Ms. Chikako Nagasaki - wife of the Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, along with ambassadors and their spouses.

According to the VNA correspondent in Tokyo, speaking at the opening of the performance, Ms. Thai Thu Hong, wife of the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, said that continuing the series of events "Understanding your country" of ALFS, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan decided to organize the performance "Experience the sound and soul of Vietnamese culture" with the desire to introduce and share a small part of the beauty of traditional Vietnamese culture with friends in Japan as well as other countries in the world. She sincerely thanked ALFS for maintaining its commitment to promoting connections and nurturing understanding and friendship through cultural exchange. The Ambassador's wife also expressed her joy at the fact that the ALFS leaders and embassies came to enjoy this performance, considering it a meaningful presence for the efforts that the Vietnamese Embassy and the artists have made to have a special performance. 

Hau Dong performance "Spiritual dance". Photo: Xuan Giao/VNA correspondent in Japan

The show opened with the Hau Dong performance “Spiritual Dance”, introducing the Mother Goddess worship, a Vietnamese folk belief with a history of thousands of years, which has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The artists also performed Vietnamese traditional musical instruments such as the T’rung in the solo performance “Central Highlands Emotions” and the Tre Lac Ensemble performance “Inh La Oi”. In particular, the show featured the Puppetry performance “Swan Lake Dance”, recreating the famous ballet in a creative and unique way.

The audience enjoyed the show even more excitedly when the artists invited them to experience traditional musical instruments, participate in the bamboo dance and practice puppetry to perform the Swan Lake dance. In an atmosphere imbued with traditional culture, the audience was surprised to enjoy the famous song “Diem Xua” by the late musician Trinh Cong Son in Japanese performed by guest Rika Satake. 

Performing Vietnamese traditional musical instruments. Photo: Nguyen Tuyen/VNA reporter in Japan

The performance ended with a bamboo dance, a unique and distinctive cultural feature of ethnic minorities in the Northwest highlands. The vibrant dance concluded a successful performance by Vietnamese artists, leaving a deep impression on Japanese and international friends.

Vietnamese artists perform the dance "Harvest Day" at the Ikebana Charity Fair 2024. Photo: Pham Tuan

Previously, within the framework of the tour in Japan, on December 10, the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre also performed at the Ikebana Charity Fair 2024, hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan in coordination with the Embassies of several countries in Japan to raise funds to support disadvantaged people in Japan. The performances by Vietnamese artists received enthusiastic applause from Japanese and international audiences.