A Yosakoi dance performance at a Japanese cultural festival in Hanoi (Source: organising board) Hanoi (VNA) - Lying in Asia, Vietnam and Japan sharesimilarities that bring them close together in terms of culture, style, andsentiment. These days, they have become even more integrated via bilateralcultural exchanges.
Each year, more and more annual culturalexchanges are held in each country, creating a climate for people of both sidesto learn about the other culture with more depth and understanding. In Vietnam,Japanese comics have long been a part of childhood memories, with the love ofJapanese culture and people going back generations. Over two decades ago,Japanese manga comic books were so appealing that they covered almost all the shelvesin every local bookstore. Most millennials today are fans of popular Japaneseanime characters like Doreamon, Pokemon, and Maruko, which helped to cultivatequalities such as a hardworking ethic, creativity, and integrity. Many evendecided to learn the Japanese language and study there when they grew up.
Nguyen Thuy Huong, 25, said she was familiarwith Japanese culture via comics and movies when she was a child. Therefore,she decided to learn Japanese language by applying to the Japanese Faculty at theHanoi University. At first, she found it quite difficult to grasp because of theunfamiliarity with non-Roman characters. Thanks to the support of Japaneselecturers, she became more hardworking and confident, striving to master alanguage considered one of the most challenging for learners.
She said she frequently visited the JapaneseFoundation Centre for Cultural Exchange (JF) in Hanoi to read Japanese booksand improve her language skills. It is here that she made friends with manyJapanese nationals and other Vietnamese who shared her ambitions and passionfor the foreign culture.
Le Mai Phuong, 28, a graduate of economics atOsaka University, said she hopes to work as a university lecturer teachingeconomic subjects in Japanese upon returning home, adding that she wants to instilwhat she knows about the country and people into students as she believes thatlanguage and culture will be the most lasting and effective cooperation.
Nguyen Anh Xuan, a Vietnamese student in Japan, speaksabout Japanese people with respect and appreciation. He said they generallylive low-key lifestyles, but are quite friendly and sociable with foreigners.In particular, they have special sentiments towards Vietnamese people, laudingVietnamese students as hardworking, smart, and kind.
He said he has learnt from their perseveringspirit, strong national unity, and high sense of community.
“The Japanese people have shown the world theirbravery in the wake of the past tsunami. They are shining examples of strongwill and perseverance to overcome adversity. Such qualities beat the harshnessand cruelty of nature. After the disaster passed by, they returned to normallife without any complaints. All the Vietnamese students here adore theirresilience”.
“I love this country, I love Japanese people”,Xuan said, adding that he wants to focus on studies to foster further relationsbetween Vietnam and Japan upon his return.
A large number of people visit the Japanese cherry blossom festival in Hanoi in March 2018 (Photo: VNA)
In recent years, it is not only more Vietnamesepeople living and working in Japan, but also more Japanese people travelling toVietnam, thus expanding the Japanese-speaking community in the country. Whilethey may come to Vietnam for different purposes, for study or leisure, theyhave one thing in common: experiencing something interesting in Vietnam andunderstanding Vietnam better.
Uchida Chikage, a Japanese language collaboratorfrom the JF’s Asia Centre, worked for several secondary and high schools in thecentral province of Thua Thien-Hue in 2015. Returning to Vietnam in 2016 underthe Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, she taught Japanese toVietnamese nursing staff in Hanoi. During her two years in Vietnam, she saidshe was inspired by their diligence, politeness, and openness.
She expressed her wish to engage in otheractivities to serve as a bridge between Vietnamese and Japanese students,hoping that her affinity with Vietnam will help support this dream.
Office worker Kana Yasako has been in Vietnamfor nine years and keenly remembers her visits to the JF Centre in Hanoi, whereshe sparked some friendships with local Vietnamese students. “They help mepractise Vietnamese, take me to good restaurants, introduce me to theirfriends, and show me the local culture and scenery.”
Not only does Kana Yasako want to stay a longtime in Vietnam, but she also wants to change the way Japanese people thinkabout the country. “Some Japanese that have never been to Vietnam think thatthe country is still ravaged by war and backwards. I know it better now, thisis my second home.”
According to the JF’s Centre for CulturalExchange, established in Hanoi in March 2008, the number of Japanese firms inVietnam and Vietnamese people or students in Japan is rising, proving strongerimpacts on politics-diplomacy, economy, academics, and art.
The number of Japanese language learners inVietnam surged from 44,272 in 2009 to 64,863 in 2015, while the total of thosetaking Japanese language proficiency tests soared five-fold to 71,242 in 2017from 13,856 in 2008.
Director of the centre Ando Toshiki said the JFhas launched many activities to raise mutual understanding between Japan and variouscountries worldwide – including in culture-arts, Japanese language teaching, andpromoting Japanese studies and intellectual exchanges – thus fosteringconnectivity between Japan and the world.
He said, together with the increase in thenumber of Japanese language learners, the motivations for their studies havealso been increasingly diverse. Therefore, taking teaching approaches suitableto each purpose is a must, and learner-oriented approaches are increasinglyimportant in Vietnam.
“We want to make contributions to human resourcesdevelopment for a global society of peace and prosperity via experiments inJapanese language education”, he said.
“In culture and arts, we also hold filmfestivals, concerts, dance performances, and support the publication ofJapanese literary works in the Vietnamese language, thus introducing diversityof Japanese culture to Vietnam. We appreciate exchanges between Japanese andVietnamese cultural ambassadors and artists, and more broadly, with those inAsia”.-VNA
Each year, more and more annual culturalexchanges are held in each country, creating a climate for people of both sidesto learn about the other culture with more depth and understanding. In Vietnam,Japanese comics have long been a part of childhood memories, with the love ofJapanese culture and people going back generations. Over two decades ago,Japanese manga comic books were so appealing that they covered almost all the shelvesin every local bookstore. Most millennials today are fans of popular Japaneseanime characters like Doreamon, Pokemon, and Maruko, which helped to cultivatequalities such as a hardworking ethic, creativity, and integrity. Many evendecided to learn the Japanese language and study there when they grew up.
Nguyen Thuy Huong, 25, said she was familiarwith Japanese culture via comics and movies when she was a child. Therefore,she decided to learn Japanese language by applying to the Japanese Faculty at theHanoi University. At first, she found it quite difficult to grasp because of theunfamiliarity with non-Roman characters. Thanks to the support of Japaneselecturers, she became more hardworking and confident, striving to master alanguage considered one of the most challenging for learners.
She said she frequently visited the JapaneseFoundation Centre for Cultural Exchange (JF) in Hanoi to read Japanese booksand improve her language skills. It is here that she made friends with manyJapanese nationals and other Vietnamese who shared her ambitions and passionfor the foreign culture.
Le Mai Phuong, 28, a graduate of economics atOsaka University, said she hopes to work as a university lecturer teachingeconomic subjects in Japanese upon returning home, adding that she wants to instilwhat she knows about the country and people into students as she believes thatlanguage and culture will be the most lasting and effective cooperation.
Nguyen Anh Xuan, a Vietnamese student in Japan, speaksabout Japanese people with respect and appreciation. He said they generallylive low-key lifestyles, but are quite friendly and sociable with foreigners.In particular, they have special sentiments towards Vietnamese people, laudingVietnamese students as hardworking, smart, and kind.
He said he has learnt from their perseveringspirit, strong national unity, and high sense of community.
“The Japanese people have shown the world theirbravery in the wake of the past tsunami. They are shining examples of strongwill and perseverance to overcome adversity. Such qualities beat the harshnessand cruelty of nature. After the disaster passed by, they returned to normallife without any complaints. All the Vietnamese students here adore theirresilience”.
“I love this country, I love Japanese people”,Xuan said, adding that he wants to focus on studies to foster further relationsbetween Vietnam and Japan upon his return.
A large number of people visit the Japanese cherry blossom festival in Hanoi in March 2018 (Photo: VNA) In recent years, it is not only more Vietnamesepeople living and working in Japan, but also more Japanese people travelling toVietnam, thus expanding the Japanese-speaking community in the country. Whilethey may come to Vietnam for different purposes, for study or leisure, theyhave one thing in common: experiencing something interesting in Vietnam andunderstanding Vietnam better.
Uchida Chikage, a Japanese language collaboratorfrom the JF’s Asia Centre, worked for several secondary and high schools in thecentral province of Thua Thien-Hue in 2015. Returning to Vietnam in 2016 underthe Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, she taught Japanese toVietnamese nursing staff in Hanoi. During her two years in Vietnam, she saidshe was inspired by their diligence, politeness, and openness.
She expressed her wish to engage in otheractivities to serve as a bridge between Vietnamese and Japanese students,hoping that her affinity with Vietnam will help support this dream.
Office worker Kana Yasako has been in Vietnamfor nine years and keenly remembers her visits to the JF Centre in Hanoi, whereshe sparked some friendships with local Vietnamese students. “They help mepractise Vietnamese, take me to good restaurants, introduce me to theirfriends, and show me the local culture and scenery.”
Not only does Kana Yasako want to stay a longtime in Vietnam, but she also wants to change the way Japanese people thinkabout the country. “Some Japanese that have never been to Vietnam think thatthe country is still ravaged by war and backwards. I know it better now, thisis my second home.”
According to the JF’s Centre for CulturalExchange, established in Hanoi in March 2008, the number of Japanese firms inVietnam and Vietnamese people or students in Japan is rising, proving strongerimpacts on politics-diplomacy, economy, academics, and art.
The number of Japanese language learners inVietnam surged from 44,272 in 2009 to 64,863 in 2015, while the total of thosetaking Japanese language proficiency tests soared five-fold to 71,242 in 2017from 13,856 in 2008.
Director of the centre Ando Toshiki said the JFhas launched many activities to raise mutual understanding between Japan and variouscountries worldwide – including in culture-arts, Japanese language teaching, andpromoting Japanese studies and intellectual exchanges – thus fosteringconnectivity between Japan and the world.
He said, together with the increase in thenumber of Japanese language learners, the motivations for their studies havealso been increasingly diverse. Therefore, taking teaching approaches suitableto each purpose is a must, and learner-oriented approaches are increasinglyimportant in Vietnam.
“We want to make contributions to human resourcesdevelopment for a global society of peace and prosperity via experiments inJapanese language education”, he said.
“In culture and arts, we also hold filmfestivals, concerts, dance performances, and support the publication ofJapanese literary works in the Vietnamese language, thus introducing diversityof Japanese culture to Vietnam. We appreciate exchanges between Japanese andVietnamese cultural ambassadors and artists, and more broadly, with those inAsia”.-VNA
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