The third edition of "Taste of Japan," a food-culture event hosted by the Japanese restaurant Hatoyama, runs from August 13 to 19, 2026, across the three cities of Hanoi, Haiphong, and Ha Long. This year's theme is "Seasonal Connections," built around seasonal ingredients. The Japanese Embassy and Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are among the event's supporters.
For Japanese people living in Vietnam, it's a week to experience firsthand, near where they travel or live, how Japanese food culture — kaiseki and omotenashi — is being received locally. For travelers who love Japanese food and are looking for restaurants, it's also an event worth stopping by.
A week touring three cities, with two guests from Japan as this edition's highlight
"Taste of Japan" is a series Hatoyama has continued, and this is the third edition. According to the organizer's announcement, this year's highlight is two experts coming from Japan.
One is Hirokazu Tomisawa, who serves as a goodwill ambassador for Japanese food culture. With over 42 years of culinary experience, he chairs the Tokyo Chefs Association. The other is Tomoi Hando, a specialist in omotenashi service, who has spent over 20 years running high-end establishments in Tokyo's Ginza and Roppongi districts. Both are appearing in this series for the first time.
Two of Hatoyama's Vietnamese chefs become instructors certified by a Japanese association
Another highlight this time is the role given to Vietnamese chefs. According to the organizer, Hatoyama's head chefs Nguyen Van Cuong (Kyo Nguyen) and Nguyen Ba Phuoc (Fuku Nguyen) will both be certified as instructors by Japan's professional chefs association. It's a setup where Vietnamese chefs take on the role of teaching Japanese cuisine with the backing of official Japanese certification.
Japanese food in Vietnam has long been split between restaurants aimed at expatriate Japanese residents and casual, locally-run sushi and ramen shops. Now a new current is joining that: local chefs formally studying traditional Japanese techniques, becoming certified, and passing them on themselves. The more the practitioners take root locally, the more the authenticity and continuity of the food improves.Hama Sushi's first Ho Chi Minh City locationSeen alongside the string of Japanese restaurant chains expanding into Vietnam, this suggests Japanese food in Vietnam is moving from being an "imported novelty" to something "made locally and taught locally."
Why kaiseki and omotenashi resonate in Vietnam
This event centers on three things: respect for seasonal ingredients, kaiseki as a dining format that builds a flow one dish at a time, and omotenashi — anticipating what a guest wants before being asked. None of these rely on flashy presentation; instead they treat seasonality and attentive care as the value itself.
This direction overlaps in part with how Vietnam's dining scene has evolved in recent years. Street stalls and casual eateries remain as vibrant as ever, but a growing urban segment now chooses "dining as an experience" for gifts and special occasions. In Da Nang, a Vietnam-Japan cultural festival centered on Bon Odoridrawing around 50,000 visitorshas taken hold, building the ground for locals to enjoy Japanese food and culture. Kaiseki and omotenashi speak naturally to this segment that pays for attentiveness.
Where the value lies for Japanese residents in Vietnam
The interest for Japanese visitors lies in rediscovering familiar Japanese cuisine as "Japanese food made in Vietnam." Even with the same kaiseki format, the fish and vegetables used are mostly sourced locally. Bringing the concept of seasonality while matching ingredients to Vietnam's own seasons — that act of translation offers a discovery different from a straight recreation of the original.
Ha Long, one of the venues, is also a starting point for bay cruises andtours on traditional wooden fishing junksamong other sightseeing. Encountering Japanese food after seeing a World Heritage sea is an itinerary that's uniquely suited to a stay in Vietnam.
Dates and venues (practical notes)
- Dates: August 13-19, 2026
- Venue: Three cities — Hanoi, Haiphong, and Ha Long (all based at Hatoyama locations)
- Organizer: Japanese restaurant Hatoyama (supported by the Japanese Embassy and Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)
- Details: Kaiseki using seasonal ingredients, omotenashi service experiences, and more
- Participation and pricing: Admission and reservation terms haven't been published in the organizer's announcement. If you're considering attending, contacting the Hatoyama location in each city directly is the surest way
There's no official information on pricing or reservation availability confirmable at the time of writing, so we avoid making a firm statement here. Since the dates are near, check the organizer's latest announcement before deciding whether to go.
As a next step for Japanese food taking root locally
"Taste of Japan" isn't a one-off trade fair — its defining feature is a design built for continuity, with Vietnamese chefs learning Japanese techniques and becoming certified to teach them themselves. A week where experts from Japan and local head chefs stand on the same stage shows that the culinary connection between Japan and Vietnam is entering a stage of nurturing people. If you're staying in Hanoi or Ha Long, timing a visit to check out the current state of Japanese cuisine growing in Vietnam, and tasting it for yourself, is worth doing.
