Vietnamese expats in Russia, Japan celebrate traditional Tet

Vietnamese expatriates gather together at the Embassy of Vietnam in Russia on January 26 ahead of Tet. Many eagerly wear Ao Dai, a traditional long dress, and make Banh Chung, a typical glutinous rice cake, in order for guests to enjoy festive delicacies together during the Tet holiday.

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi participates in the event. The Embassy has prepared approximately 50kg of Dong leaves in order to produce 250 Chung cakes this year.

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Making the Chung cake has been an age-old tradition among Vietnamese people for many generations when Tet arrives. The cake is used as part of offerings to ancestors during Tet or special occasions.

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Representatives of the Overseas Vietnamese community in Japan join international friends to celebrate Vietnam’s lunar New Year holiday from January 15 to January 21 in Fukuoka Prefecture.

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A special Tet space has been set up where participants make Chung cake and put on a wide range of activities such as lion dances, an Ao Dai (traditional dress) fashion show, and folk games.

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The festival attracts the participation of roughly 70 stalls of Vietnamese and Japanese businesses, marking it the largest event of its kind so far.

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An exhibition is also held to introduce each culture’s history and to promote cultural exchanges between Fukuoka Prefecture and Vietnam.

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The event is co-hosted by the Consulate General of Vietnam in Fukuoka Prefecture, local authorities, and the Vietnamese Association in the locality. This year the event draws nearly 17,000 Vietnamese, Japanese people, and international friends.