Last Updated on December 28, 2025
Invited Out by an Old Friend
One early summer day, a friend asked me to join them at the Vietnam Festival in Yoyogi Park. Even though Tokyo has plenty of Vietnamese restaurants, I had never been to Vietnam, so I was really excited to check out the official festival.
The festival took place at Yoyogi Park, which is just a short walk from Harajuku Station.
Vietnam Festival
Vietnam FestivalIt was already lively when I arrived. Vietnamese food stalls and bright, colorful decorations greeted visitors right at the entrance. Coincidentally or not, a motorcycle parking area was right behind the decorations, which made it feel even more like Vietnam.
We started by trying some Vietnamese snacks at the booths and then explored the festival grounds. Hand-washing stations were scarce, so pack plenty of wet wipes. Our hands got super sticky from the sweet sauce!
There were various stalls, including the traditional Vietnamese conical hats, shops selling local cashew nuts, Southeast Asian–style clothing, as well as booths from Vietnam Airlines and the Vietnamese Embassy.
It was a bit hot that day, and seeing the dancers wearing conical hats made me want one too. However, they were too big to take home, so I gave up on the idea. When we both tried them on, the shop staff said, ‘Kawaii~!’ If they had been available for rent, we might have asked to rent them.
I didn’t realize Vietnam was a cashew nut producer. The sample I tried had a richer flavor, partly thanks to the thin skin. The individual nuts were quite big as well. It’s not something I often see, so I skipped buying it there, but I’d like to buy it if I find it somewhere else next time.
Lunch time
Lunch timeAs it got close to lunchtime, we returned to the food stall area. The banh mi looked tempting, but I went with bun bo Hue and black tea infused with lemongrass this time.
Bún bò Huế is a spicy beef noodle soup that originated in Hue, the ancient capital in central Vietnam. It features thick rice noodles (bún), a rich broth flavored with lemongrass and chili, and toppings such as beef, pork, fish cakes, and fresh herbs. It was a more flavorful broth than pho, and this stall’s version wasn’t spicy at all, despite how it looked. It was loaded with ingredients, the soup’s seasoning was just right, and I loved every spoonful. The meat may look red, but it’s fully cooked, so no worries!
The black tea with lemongrass was lightly sweet, served cold, and really tasty. I can see myself getting addicted to it!
Next, We Tried…
Next, We Tried…We grabbed some skewers and Vietnamese-style sausages. There’s something about eating skewers outside that makes them extra delicious. The red one looked spicy, but it turned out to be sweet.
Since there weren’t many chairs, we had to eat standing up. A picnic sheet would have made it a lot more comfortable. All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable lunchtime.
A Little Something to Remember
A Little Something to RememberMy friend came across a shop full of cute bracelets. With so many colors available, we couldn’t decide at first, but I picked the gray one in the end. It was a Japanese shop, so I don’t know if the bracelets were made in Vietnam, but we loved them. They are slightly sheer, making them perfect for summer, but their muted colors mean they could also be worn in autumn.
In high spirits after the Vietnam Festival, we went to Harakado mall and enjoyed some sweet Vietnamese coffee while having one last chat.
Check out another post where I show how I styled it with clothes!
(Just updated: Check out the related posts below)
Visiting Info
Instagram:@vietfes_sendenbu
Access:
600 m / 0.37 mi from Harajuku Station
All info is current as of my visit.
