The festival will kick off on March 19 evening at Ly Thai To Park, near Sword Lake in the downtown of Hanoi.

During the event, visitors can join a wide range of cultural activities such as exhibitions of Vietnam and Japan’s heritage and flowers, ikebana (art of flower arrangement) presentations and opportunities to try on Japanese kiminos.

Traditional music of Vietnam will be performed, including xam (blind wanderers’ music), ca tru (ceremonial singing) and instrumental music.
On the occasion, 200 cherry trees from Japan will be offered and planted as a gift to Hanoi. Some of them will be displayed at the Ly Thai To Park during the two-day festival.

Visitors will have a chance to enjoy the hues and shades of blooming cherry blossoms, said Truong Minh Tien, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

He added that growers and horticulturalists will be dispatched by the Japanese government to take care of the planting as well as ensuring that the flowers will continue to bloom each year.

Japanese experts said the weather conditions and soil in Hanoi are suitable for the cherry trees from northeastern Japan. They will be planted at Hoa Binh Park on Hoang Quoc Viet Street in Bac Tu Liem district.

This year marks the tenth cherry blossom festival held in Hanoi. It is considered the most outstanding event of the year to introduce Japanese culture to local residents and visitors.

A seminar to boost tourism investment will be held on March 20 in Hanoi with the participation of many enterprises from both countries.

Famous anime films (Japanese cartoons) will be presented for free at Kim Dong Cultural Centre, 19 Hang Bai Street, with two films screened per day.