TOKYO — The Homeland Spring – Great Unity Tết Osaka 2026 programme was held on January 4 at Ikuno Park in Osaka, drawing thousands of visitors and offering a lively platform for cultural exchange, community connection and shared celebration.

At the opening ceremony, Ngô Trịnh Hà, Consul General of Việt Nam in Osaka, said the event was more than a traditional Lunar New Year celebration, serving as a meaningful occasion for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) to reconnect with family bonds, hometown ties, cultural roots and national identity.

He commended the Kansai Vietnamese Association and the Vietnamese community in Ikuno for organising a programme rich in cultural character, and noted that the Vietnamese community in Kansai is becoming increasingly strong, united and active in contributing to the host society, thereby helping strengthen Việt Nam–Japan friendship.

Lê Thương, Chairwoman of the Kansai Vietnamese Association and head of the organising committee, said Homeland Spring offers OVs an opportunity to preserve cultural identity, reinforce national unity and deepen their attachment to the homeland.

Ikuno Ward Mayor Sujihara Akihiro described Ikuno as a multicultural district, with foreigners making up around one quarter of its population, and praised the Vietnamese community for its dynamism and active engagement. He expressed his hope that communities will continue to respect one another and live together in peace despite cultural differences, and voiced his wish for Homeland Spring to become a model for international cultural exchange activities in the ward.

The programme featured a vibrant arts showcase by Vietnamese communities in the Kansai region, including a lion–dragon dance by the Vietnamese community in Nagoya and dance performances by the V-Artist group in Osaka, earning warm applause from both Vietnamese and Japanese audiences.

Visitors also took part in a range of cultural activities, such as a bánh chưng (square glutinous rice cake) wrapping contest, food stalls presenting traditional Vietnamese cuisine, photo exhibitions on Việt Nam's land and people, and booths introducing products and services from Việt Nam–Japan businesses.

Through the promotion of Vietnamese cuisine, arts, history and people, the event contributed to enhancing Việt Nam's image in Japan, fostering mutual understanding and opening up new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of economy, tourism and education.

The festival reaffirmed the role of the overseas Vietnamese community as a vital bridge connecting cultural, social and economic ties between Việt Nam and Japan in an era of deepening international integration. — VNA/VNS