The program is organized by People's Committee of Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Japanese Embassy, Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange (JF) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Vietnam.

Activities of the program which have the participations of Sakai City (Japan), Sakai City's International Exchange Association and some organizations and enterprises of Viet Nam and Japan will take place in many sites in Hoi An Ancient Town such as An Hoi statue garden, Hoai River square, Hoi An roundabout, 155B Tran Phu street, Pagoda-Bridge, Chau Thuong Van street, Ka-Zik park, Hoi An hotel ...

The highlight of the Hoi An - Japan cultural exchange program 2012 is large scale art programs performed by artists from Viet Nam and Japan. Of which, the opening night (24 August) will be an art concert of Osuwa Daiko's  and Hoi An's  drum troupes; the Japan - Hoi An art exchange night (25 August) will have cultural performances of the two countries; and the closing night (26 August) will include street art program, community exchange program with dances (bon, sap, trong com) and performances of traditional costumes of the two countries.

Besides, during the program, many diverse and unique activities will be organized, such as: display activities (the photo exhibition of  "The 10 year- way of Hoi An - Japan cooperation and exchange"; Haiku poems calligraphy; Hoi An - Japan's handicrafts; the photos about Japan's reconstruction over earthquake and tsunami); community activities ("One hour for a cleaner Hoi An"; the opening ceremony of "Vetiver grass" project; the launching ceremony of the project "Garbage reduction in Hoi An under the model of  Naha City"; the seminar "The relationship between Hoi An authority and people in environmental protection"; the ceremony of nameplating the Ngoc Hoa princess street and memorial planting); international seminars ("How to promote the central Viet Nam tourism to Japan"; "The conservation and development of rural tourism in Viet Nam"; "How to attract tourists for heritage tourism"); culture, art, sports activities (Japanese and Quang Nam gastronomy presentations; performance of Japanese gastronomy "Night of Sushi"; Japanese Kendo performance ; Hoi An seal collecting tour; the bookcase of Vietnamese, Japanese manga; presentation of Vietnamese and Japanese cartoons; Origami paper folding; Japanese games for children...).

On this occasion, Hoi An City will also hold "Hoi An Ancient Quarter's night" (30 August) to respond to National Tourism Year 2012. The highlight of the event is the setting free festival, the festival night for gratituding parent "Bong hong cai ao"; introduction of tour "Japanese old traces" and seminar "Development of Quang Nam tourism in the new situation".

Hoi An Ancient Town was one of the busiest trading ports in Southeast Asia region in the 17th and 18th centuries. Since formed in the 16th century, there were a lot of foreign businessmen, especially Japanese businessmen to Hoi An to live, trade and build many unique cultural, architecture works, of which the highlight is Lai Vien Bridge (Pagoda Bridge) - the only old bridge in Hoi An now. This is a beautiful symbol of cultural interference and longstanding relationship between the two countries.

Viet Nam - Japan cultural exchange program was first held in 2003 to celebrate 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. The program is held annually in August in Hoi An to contribute to strengthening ties friendship between Viet Nam - Japan, and promote World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town to large number of domestic and international tourists.

Thu Giang