Hanoi (VNA) – Madame Le Thi Bich Tran, spouse of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Madame Ishiba Yoshiko, spouse of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, embarked on a cultural journey through Vietnam’s rich ethnic tapestry at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay town, in the suburbs of Hanoi, on April 28.
The trip was made as part of the ongoing official visit to Vietnam by the Japanese PM.
The two ladies were welcomed by representatives from the 16 ethnic groups with gong and traditional dance performances. They then toured the village which showcases Vietnam’s ethnic cultural diversity.
Visiting the Thai ethnic village, they were introduced to the community’s traditional stilt houses, the “khau cut” – the turtle-shell-shaped roof of the black Thai’s stilt house, and “nem con” (throwing a small cloth ball) custom. Both ladies crafted their own "qua con" (cloth balls) before joining in the throwing ritual amidst enthusiastic cheers. They also engaged in a xoe dance with the Thai ethnic people.
At Xo Dang village, Tran and Ishiba learned about the T'rung bamboo music instrument, enjoyed traditional performances, and even experienced crafting the distinctive instrument of the Central Highlands.
Their final destination was the Cham towers complex, a symbolic architectural and religious site of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan province. After touring the towers, they visited the main Ka Lan tower to offer incense.
Ishiba expressed her hope for stronger relations between Vietnam and Japan, built upon cultural exchanges and people-to-people connections. Tran, in turn, thanked Ishiba for her interest in Vietnamese culture and people and expressed her wish for future meetings with the Japanese lady./.
