On the afternoon of December 30, at Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association of Hue City, Vietnamese Haiku Poetry Club - Hue Ancient Capital held its 2025 year-end review ceremony while marking the fifth anniversary of its establishment.

On the morning of December 23, the exhibition “OMOCHA: The World of Modern Japanese Toys” was introduced to the public at AEON Mall Hue, offering visitors an opportunity to explore the evolution of Japanese toys from tradition to modernity through the lens of culture and creativity.

In the context of the increasingly extensive development of Vietnam-Japan relations, local cooperation has become an important driving force that fosters strong and lasting ties between the two countries. For Hue - Vietnam’s unique heritage city - Japan is not only a partner in economy, trade, and tourism, but also a special companion in the journey of cultural exchange, people-to-people engagement, and sustainable development rooted in heritage values.

In Hue, the cultural value of Vietnamese tea will be honored and connected through cultural exchanges among artisans, tea masters, and brands from Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam at Hue - International Tea Festival 2025, taking place from October 31st to November 2nd, 2025.

On September 27, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy’s Hospital, in collaboration with Nagoya University, Japan, organized an international workshop with the theme: “Nagoya - Hue UMP Endoscopy Workshop 2025: Advancing Gastrointestinal Care Together”.

On the afternoon of September 24, the University of Arts, Hue University, held the opening ceremony of the 2025 International Fine Arts Exhibition themed “Cultural heritage in contemporary art practice”. The event is part of the 2025 International Workshop and Exhibition program, bringing together artists from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

In 2005, I was fortunate to meet Dang Van Viet, a revered elder, in Hue, where he had come from Hanoi to join the 60th anniversary of the Frontline Youth School. There, I learned that he was the one who, together with a comrade, raised the red flag with the yellow star over the Phu Van Lau (Phu Van Pavilion) flagpole on August 21, 1945-when the August Revolution had yet to break out, Japanese forces were still armed, and the Nguyen dynasty still stood in the imperial capital of Hue.

On September 10, Chairman of Phu Xuan Ward People’s Committee Nguyen Viet Bang chaired the official and courtesy meeting with Kyoto Environmental Activities Association (KEAA) - Japan, led by Mr. Tatsuro Niikawa, KEAA’s Chairman.

On September 2nd, the Economic Security Division of Hue City Police reported that it had returned a lost mobile phone to Ms. Mii Uchino (born in 1999, Japanese nationality, a student at University of Tsukuba currently attending a seminar at Hue University).

On August 26th, at the Roppongi outlet of Matsuya restaurant chain, an event was held to launch a menu featuring “Pork rice in the style of Vietnamese com tam (Broken rice)”.