Japan and Uzbekistan have held activities celebrating the Spring Festival.
The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, fell on Jan 29 this year. It was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December 2024.
In Tokyo, Japan, a giant panda-themed temple fair opened at the Ueno Park on Friday, the third day of the Year of the Snake.
The three-day event draws both overseas Chinese in the country and local residents to learn about traditional Chinese culture.
As the third edition of the panda temple fair at the park, the event presents couplets, Chinese knots, panda dolls and Chinese dishes, embodying the unique charm of Chinese culture. Visitors can also write Fu or "fortune" character and make rubbings to express their best wishes for the new year.
"I often see the Fu character pasted upside down like this in the doorway in pictures. It means the arrival of fortune or happiness. I have already pasted one in my home. I will also post this Fu character that I just wrote when I get back home today," said a visitor.
"I know the Spring Festival is a very important holiday in China. Eating dumplings and watching firework shows, these are my very happy memories of the Spring Festival when I was in China," said Atsushi Fukuda, a vendor at the fair.
In September last year, giant pandas Bi Li and Xian Nü returned from Japan to China.
Many Japanese people who miss the panda couple have come to the temple fair to express their affections and good wishes for the pandas.
"I feel a sense of loss in my heart, but knowing that they could live happily in China, I also feel pleased for them," said a visitor.
"Such giant-panda themed Spring Festival temple fairs could motivate more Japanese people to learn about China. I hope there will be new giant pandas to have a sojourn in Japan," said Toshimitsu Doi, president of the Panda Protection Institute of Japan.
In Samarkand, the second largest city of Uzbekistan, the first Chinese New Year international tourism festival is running from Jan 29 to Feb 5.
During the event, local residents and tourists can savor flavors of the Spring Festival by watching singing and dancing performances and tasting Chinese cuisine.
"Samarkand is holding this event for the first time this year just to attract more Chinese tourists. Currently, there are around 10,000 Chinese investors, workers and students living and working in Samarkand. Many people are unable to return home for the Spring Festival, so we decided to create a festive vibe for them here," said Rustam Kobilov, deputy governor of the Samarkand Region.
Chinese New Year celebrations held in Japan, Uzbekistan
Chinese New Year celebrations held in Japan, Uzbekistan
