Japan Autumn Festival 2025: A bridge connecting Vietnam and Japan

On October 18-19, the campus of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam (27 Quang Trung, Hanoi) became a space converging the colors, flavors and sounds of Japanese autumn from Yosakoi, Haiku, Kendama, Shogi, Iaido..., to cuisine and City Pop night under bamboo lights.

Visitors capture moments at the 2025 Japan Autumn Festival.

In Japan, autumn is called “the season of ~” (no Aki) - the season of food, reading, art, sports - a time when people slow down, nurture inspiration and look inward. That spirit is recreated in the heart of Hanoi in a subtle yet intimate way: in the garden is the bustling rhythm of Yosakoi, inside the library is the calm breath of Haiku, on the second floor is the atmosphere of Shogi; in between are food stalls with takoyaki, hojicha latte, Japanese tea and check-in corners with Torii gates, ema, bamboo lanterns that evoke a “standard Tokyo” feeling.

The workshop “Writing Haiku Poetry” led by Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Lien and the Haiku Club of Vietnam, Hanoi , takes participants from the basics of the 17-syllable poetry form to practicing composition on Do paper, decorated with watercolors.

Haiku Poetry Workshop Space at the Japanese Autumn Festival.

“Haiku guides people towards the love of nature and the spirit of equality without distinction. Even snails, falling leaves or dew drops can become centers of inspiration” - those shares help listeners feel the beauty of the simple, of the impermanent moments in the present.

Outside, the Yosakoi Hanuyo team - a young dance group from Hanoi that has participated in Harajuku Super Yosakoi three times - stirred up the stage with an energetic performance, combining naruko beats and expressive team movements.

Next door is the Kendama area led by the Vietnam Kendama Club, where players practice their dexterity through hundreds of techniques; and on the second floor is the Shogi board - a traditional Japanese chess game that attracts intellectual enthusiasts. The space displaying traditional dolls (ningyo) creates aesthetic highlights: festival maidens, samurai, folk characters... on a brilliant kimono background, telling cultural stories with sophisticated materials and lines.

Event “Aki Matsuri – Japanese Autumn Festival”.

“Autumn Roundtable” invites dialogue about the feelings of autumn in Japan and Hanoi: red momiji leaves, the sound of cicadas at the end of the season, roasted sweet potatoes on the street, cool breeze and the scent of young rice. The simple yet emotional stories reveal a delicate bridge connecting the two cultures. When night falls, the bamboo lamps light up, City Pop music by guest DJs awakens memories and joy, creating a scene like a Japanese movie in the heart of the capital.

The event “Aki Matsuri – Japanese Autumn Festival” is not just a cultural festival - it is a “bridge of communication” where Vietnamese people who love Japanese culture and the Japanese community in Vietnam meet in a spirit of understanding and mutual respect.

As shared by the representative of the organizing committee, autumn makes people active in culture, sports, and cuisine; and in that space, Vietnamese audiences can find both interesting similarities and differences compared to autumn in Hanoi. For those who love beauty and experience, Aki Matsuri 2025 is an unmissable destination to preserve a memorable autumn - where tradition and modernity blend, and where culture becomes a bond from the heart.

According to VNA

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/le-hoi-mua-thu-nhat-ban-2025-cau-noi-giao-cam-viet-nam-nhat-ban-postid429235.bbg