Japanese people enjoy slurping Vietnamese pho in the park

Japanese families slurped and slurped over hot bowls of pho in the poetic setting and sunny weather of Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the weekend of October 7-10.

Japanese diners standing to eat pho at Vietnam Pho Festival 2023

A stream of customers came to Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7 to enjoy pho. Traditional Vietnamese pho stalls

For Japanese people, eating noodles must be done "slurping" and "slurping" to be considered the right way. During the first session of the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 in Tokyo, Japanese diners held hot bowls of pho, ready to stand and eat. They skillfully picked up the noodles, sucked loudly to enjoy the delicious taste of the dish.

Mr. Mizuho Takahashi and his wife, from Tokyo, ate two bowls of pho . Although he is a doctor and has to work at night, when he heard that the Vietnamese Pho Festival was coming to Japan, he and his wife woke up early to be at the park.

"We just returned from a trip to Vietnam and ate Pho Thin in Hanoi. The taste of Pho Thin today was just as delicious as the one we had before. The event was really interesting and full of surprises. I really have more sympathy and affection for the people and country of Vietnam," said Mizuho Takahashi.

Mr. Mizuho Takahashi and his wife after enjoying a bowl of pho - Photo: NHU BINH

Not only Tokyo residents, international tourists , many people in Japanese cities also came to Yoyogi Park when they heard about the pho festival.

Everyone was excited, rushing to choose hot bowls of pho to enjoy on the spot. Families with small children were given seats. Adults stood and ate deliciously.

By noon on October 7, guests were sitting shoulder to shoulder, the slurping sounds were even more audible, everyone was concentrating on eating pho and sipping the hot soup deliciously. Interestingly, many of the guests at the festival were Japanese families. They brought their children to enjoy the taste of Vietnamese pho .

As noon approached, more and more customers flocked to the stalls. Long-standing, well-known domestic pho brands continued to be recognized by many people, who patiently waited to enjoy them.

Diners enjoy pho at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7.

Ms. Bich Hoang, owner of Pho Dau (HCMC) said that many customers came to claim to be regular customers of the shop when they were in Vietnam. When they came to Japan to do business and live, they heard that Pho Dau had come to Japan through the Pho Festival, so they came and recognized the familiar chili sauce and onion dish served with the pho.

Mr. Phung, who has lived in Japan for more than 50 years, went to Pho Dau stall with three friends and recognized the familiar taste. "How can this bowl of pho be cooked so well in Japan?", he asked in surprise as soon as he took the first sip of the broth.

"The pho is delicious" and "the flavor is very rich" are the exclamations of Japanese diners. Many restaurant owners said that they initially expected to serve mainly the Vietnamese community in Japan, but in reality, the number of Japanese and Vietnamese customers is almost equal.

The chefs were very warm-hearted when they saw the way the Japanese ate. "They ate very focusedly, cherishing their bowls of pho and everyone drank every last sip even though they had to stand and hold the hot bowl of pho," said the owner of the pho stall at Thu Duc Golf Course.

Miss Intercontinental Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the program's ambassador - Photo: QUANG DINH

Explaining the Japanese way of eating that makes slurping sounds, Mr. Matsuo Tomoyuki, president of the Japan - Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, said that for Japanese people, when eating noodles, they have to put the noodles in their mouth once to feel the delicious taste of the dish. That is a unique feature in the way of eating because at that time, the eater will enjoy it to the highest level possible, allowing all the senses to feel it. Even the speed of putting the noodles in shows the taste of the eater.

Diners line up to buy pho at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7.

Making banh khot at Yoyogi park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7 - Photo: QUANG DINH

Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 is co-organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigon Tourist Group, Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City, 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 organizing committee of the Vietnam - Japan Festival, 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 accompanied by Vietnam Airlines , Suntory Beverage & Food, Simply Food (Binh Tay Food Company), SASCO, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam, Pho'S and a number of other businesses. The reigning Miss Intercontinental Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the official ambassador, accompanying and responding to the program's activities.

By noon on October 7, guests were sitting shoulder to shoulder, the slurping sounds were even more audible, everyone was concentrating on eating pho and sipping the hot soup deliciously. Interestingly, many of the guests at the festival were Japanese families. They brought their children to enjoy the taste of Vietnamese pho .

As noon approached, more and more customers flocked to the stalls. Long-standing, well-known domestic pho brands continued to be recognized by many people, who patiently waited to enjoy them.

Diners enjoy pho at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7.

Ms. Bich Hoang, owner of Pho Dau (HCMC) said that many customers came to claim to be regular customers of the shop when they were in Vietnam. When they came to Japan to do business and live, they heard that Pho Dau had come to Japan through the Pho Festival, so they came and recognized the familiar chili sauce and onion dish served with the pho.

Mr. Phung, who has lived in Japan for more than 50 years, went to Pho Dau stall with three friends and recognized the familiar taste. "How can this bowl of pho be cooked so well in Japan?", he asked in surprise as soon as he took the first sip of the broth.

"The pho is delicious" and "the flavor is very rich" are the exclamations of Japanese diners. Many restaurant owners said that they initially expected to serve mainly the Vietnamese community in Japan, but in reality, the number of Japanese and Vietnamese customers is almost equal.

The chefs were very warm-hearted when they saw the way the Japanese ate. "They ate very focusedly, cherishing their bowls of pho and everyone drank every last sip even though they had to stand and hold the hot bowl of pho," said the owner of the pho stall at Thu Duc Golf Course.

Miss Intercontinental Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the program's ambassador - Photo: QUANG DINH

Explaining the Japanese way of eating that makes slurping sounds, Mr. Matsuo Tomoyuki, president of the Japan - Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, said that for Japanese people, when eating noodles, they have to put the noodles in their mouth once to feel the delicious taste of the dish. That is a unique feature in the way of eating because at that time, the eater will enjoy it to the highest level possible, allowing all the senses to feel it. Even the speed of putting the noodles in shows the taste of the eater.

Diners line up to buy pho at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7.

Making banh khot at Yoyogi park, Tokyo, Japan on the morning of October 7 - Photo: QUANG DINH

Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 is co-organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigon Tourist Group, Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City, 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 organizing committee of the Vietnam - Japan Festival, 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 accompanied by Vietnam Airlines, Suntory Beverage & Food, Simply Food (Binh Tay Food Company), SASCO, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam, Pho'S and a number of other businesses. The reigning Miss Intercontinental Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the official ambassador, accompanying and responding to the program's activities.

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