HCMC – Tokyo will host the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 on October 7 and 8 at Yoyogi Park, celebrating Vietnamese culinary culture and commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both days, featuring an opening ceremony scheduled from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on October 7. It will showcase 45 stalls, including 16 Vietnamese food stalls operating in Japan. This grand celebration is a joint effort by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigontourist Group, and the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association in HCMC. It has received support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and sponsorship from Vietnam Airlines, Suntory Beverage & Food, and other partners. The Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 will feature award-winning Vietnamese chefs and renowned Pho brands, and introduce this Vietnamese delicacy in Japan for the first time. The event will also feature talk shows, a Pho-making contest for Japanese chefs, an exhibition, and a video recounting the dish's history, among other engaging activities. Culinary expert Matsuo Tomoyuki, chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association and the Ambassador of the festival, will be in attendance. Moreover, the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade will host business matching sessions, facilitating connections between Vietnamese and Japanese food enterprises. Over 110 participants from Vietnamese businesses and Japanese importers and retailers are expected to join these sessions.