The “Vietnam Festa in Kanagawa 2025” event, aimed at deepening cultural and economic exchange between Kanagawa Prefecture and Vietnam, will be held on September 13 and 14 at Nihon Odori, the Kanagawa Prefectural Government Main Building, and Zou-no-Hana Park (Naka Ward, Yokohama).

Under the theme “All About Vietnam,” Japanese and Vietnamese artists and groups will perform on stage, and visitors can experience a wide range of culture, entertainment, and food from both countries. Highlights include the traditional water puppet theater and live performances by Vietnamese singer Hoang Dung and Ai Kawashima.

At Zou-no-Hana Park, visitors can enjoy over 20 programs, including authentic Vietnamese food and goods booths, Ao Dai fashion shows, Vovinam (Vietnamese martial arts) demonstrations, T’rung (bamboo xylophone) performances, and Vietnamese puzzle-solving events. Kumi Oguri, a T’rung performer from Kanagawa Prefecture, will also appear.

The Prefectural Government Main Building will host a speech contest by Vietnamese students learning Japanese, lectures on tourism and culture, and a Vietnam business seminar.

Various international organizations, Vietnamese groups in Japan, and local governments and companies from the prefecture are participating. Side events include an e-sports exchange at Zou-no-Hana Terrace, a stamp rally, and a lottery.

Hours are from 10:00 to 18:00. Admission is free.

Tran Tao Mien's work 'Have a good rest 01'

The art festival “Koganecho Bazaar + Kamiooka Bazaar 2025: Passing Through, We Meet Along the Way,” which explores the relationship between art and community and exchange with Asia, has been running since September 11.

This year, in addition to the Koganecho area, the Kamiooka area will also serve as a venue, featuring works by approximately 25 artists.

The Koganecho area includes studios under the Keikyu Line viaduct between Hinodecho Station and Koganecho Station, as well as surrounding studios. The Kamiooka area is hosted at Keikyu Department Store and Wing Kamiooka.

Participating artists include international creators from East and Southeast Asia, such as Yoon Sangha, who graduated from the Modern Sculpture and Media Department at Chosun University in Gwangju, South Korea, and Tran Tao Mien, who is based in Hanoi. Japanese artists also feature, including Eriko Masaki, who works with glass and explores craft aspects after completing studies at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute, and Marika Takanashi, a graduate of the Akita University of Art Graduate School.

The director commented, “This exhibition creates two simultaneous exhibitions through artists moving between Keikyu Line stations. This engagement with two local communities may serve as an opportunity for change within the artist community and for the local communities to connect and reflect on both areas through the exhibition.”

Hours are: Koganecho venue—11:00 to 19:00, closed Thursdays (except September 11); Kamiooka venue—10:00 to 20:00 (open daily during the event period). The “Koganecho Bazaar 2025 Passport,” which serves as admission to the Koganecho venue, costs ¥1,000 (free for high school students and younger) and allows multiple entries throughout the event. The Kamiooka venue is free. The pass includes ¥300 in discount vouchers usable at local restaurants and ¥300 in discount vouchers valid at Keikyu Department Store. The event runs until October 31.

Nihon Odori

Nihon Odori is a historic street in Yokohama’s Chinatown, Japan, whose name translates to “Japan Boulevard.” It was constructed in 1870 and was one of the first Western-style roads built in the country during the Meiji era, symbolizing Japan’s rapid modernization and opening to foreign trade. Today, it is a popular promenade known for its blend of Japanese and Chinese cultural influences.

Kanagawa Prefectural Government Main Building

The Kanagawa Prefectural Government Main Building is a historic government office constructed in 1928, notable for its Western-style Neoclassical architecture. It was built to replace an earlier structure that was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and remains a symbol of the prefecture’s recovery and resilience.

Zou-no-Hana Park

Zou-no-Hana Park is a modern public space located on a pier in Yokohama’s harbor, built on the historic site where the first foreign trading ships docked after Japan opened its ports in 1859. It serves as a scenic waterfront park and event space, featuring a distinctive red brick warehouse and offering panoramic views of the bay. The park commemorates the area’s significance as the birthplace of international trade and cultural exchange in modern Japan.

Zou-no-Hana Terrace

Zou-no-Hana Terrace is a modern public space and park located on a pier in Yokohama’s harbor, Japan. It was historically the site of the city’s first pier, built in 1859 to welcome foreign trade after Japan ended its period of national isolation. Today, it serves as a popular waterfront promenade offering views of the bay and hosting various cultural events.

Koganecho Bazaar

Koganecho Bazaar is a contemporary art festival and cultural project held in the Koganecho area of Yokohama, Japan. It was established in 2008 to revitalize a neighborhood once known for its red-light district and crime, transforming it through art. The event features site-specific installations and exhibitions by Japanese and international artists in the neighborhood’s former licensed quarter buildings.

Kamiooka Bazaar

Kamiooka Bazaar is a modern shopping and dining complex located in the Kamiooka district of Yokohama, Japan. It was developed as part of the area’s urban renewal, which accelerated with the opening of the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line’s Kamiooka Station in 1993. The bazaar serves as a vibrant community hub, reflecting the neighborhood’s growth into a major transit and commercial center.

Keikyu Line viaduct

The Keikyu Line viaduct is an elevated railway structure in Tokyo, Japan, primarily constructed in the 1960s to support the city’s growing transportation needs. It is a prominent feature of the urban landscape, carrying Keikyu trains through densely populated areas like Shinagawa. The viaduct is a functional piece of infrastructure that has become an iconic part of the city’s commute and skyline.

Keikyu Department Store

Keikyu Department Store is a major Japanese retail chain originally established in 1931 by the Keikyu Corporation, a private railway operator. It is strategically located at key train stations, such as Shinagawa in Tokyo, serving commuters and locals with a wide range of products from groceries to fashion. The store exemplifies the classic Japanese depāto (department store) model, combining shopping with dining and cultural services to create a convenient urban retail experience.