Before the opening of the first Vietnam Pho Festival held in Japan (October 7), Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu shared with Tuoi Tre about the meaning of the festival as well as the appeal of pho to the Japanese.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu
Appreciating the efforts of the organizing committee and related units in preparing to organize the first Pho Festival in Japan, Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu commented that this is a very meaningful activity in introducing Vietnamese culinary culture, especially pho, to the Japanese people.
Not only that, the organizers also connect economic and tourism activities on this occasion, while enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
This is also a practical activity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.
According to the ambassador, cultural exchange, including cuisine, plays a very important role in relations between nations in the world, and is the glue that binds nations together.
The organization of the Pho Festival follows the Vietnam Festival in Japan, an annual festival that has been held 13 times, attracting nearly 400,000 attendees in June 2023, and the Vietnam Festival in Kanagawa in September 2023, which will contribute to bringing the image of Vietnam to the Japanese public on a regular and close basis.
The delegation of the Vietnam Pho Festival organizing committee in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan - Photo: QUANG DINH
Pho is the "culinary ambassador"
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly one million Japanese tourists visited Vietnam every year. Many Vietnamese dishes are enjoyed and loved by Japanese people such as pho, vermicelli, banh mi, etc.
Pho has long been recognized by the world as the national dish of Vietnam, becoming a "culinary ambassador", contributing to honoring Vietnamese culture to international friends.
On the contrary, many Japanese dishes are popular with Vietnamese people as well as many other ethnic groups in the world such as ramen noodles, udon noodles or soba noodles...
The two countries have similarities in culinary culture such as using rice as the main food and using chopsticks...
As for pho, the Japanese highly appreciate its uniqueness thanks to the rice noodles, which have a diverse and rich flavor of the broth and chewy, soft noodles, and a variety of spices and vegetables.
The Vietnamese community in Japan is growing, more than 470,000 people, the number of Vietnamese restaurants in the provinces and cities is increasing, leading to Vietnamese dishes becoming more and more popular. When it comes to Vietnamese dishes, all Japanese people know about pho, banh mi...
According to the ambassador, increasingly close exchanges and understanding of culinary culture will help the relationship between people of the two countries become closer and more intimate, creating a foundation of friendship and understanding for the development of relations in other fields.
Through cuisine like pho, Japanese people not only understand Vietnamese cuisine, but also understand more about the unique culture of Vietnamese people.
Lanterns and conical hats made from rattan, bamboo and leaves were brought from Vietnam by the delegation of hotels belonging to Saigontourist Group - Photo: QUANG DINH
Vietnam Airlines booth - Photo: QUANG DINH
Mr. Nguyen Duc Minh - Deputy Ambassador - Embassy of Vietnam in Japan - inspected the festival preparations on the afternoon of October 6 - Photo: QUANG DINH
Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 is co-organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigon Tourist Group, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association, with the support of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and the support of Japanese friends such as Mr. Aoyagi Yoichiro - member of the House of Representatives, head of the Vietnam - Japan Festival Organizing Committee, Mainichi newspaper (Japan) and Vietnamese associations in Japan.
Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 has the participation of Golden Star Anise chefs from previous years such as: Nguyen Tien Hai, Nguyen Tu Tin, Pham Quang Duy... and chefs from famous pho restaurants: Pho Dau, Pho Hai Thien, Pho Hotel Majestic Saigon, Pho'S, Pho Sen SASCO, Pho Thin Bo Ho, Pho Thu Duc Golf Course Restaurant, Pho Ta - Binh Tay Food...
The program is sponsored by Vietnam Airlines, Suntory Beverage & Food, Simply Food (Binh Tay Food Company), SASCO, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam, Pho'S and several other businesses.
The reigning Miss Intercontinental Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the official ambassador, accompanying and participating in the program's activities.
Tuoitre.vn
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