The Chinese New Year ``Spring Festival'' began on the 10th, and festivals began in Nankinmachi, Kobe City.


Tourist groups from China visit sightseeing spots in Wakayama Prefecture to coincide with the long weekend, and the area is bustling with activity.

Kobe Chinatown/Nankinmachi first day festival begins

On the 10th, the first day of the Chinese New Year Festival in Nankinmachi, Kobe City, firecrackers were set off to pray for good health and the festival began.



On the special stage, visitors were treated to the traditional performing arts of ``Henren'' from China's Sichuan region, where the masks on their faces change instantly according to the music and body movements, as well as Chinese acrobatic tricks using hula hoops. was applauding enthusiastically.

A Chinese lion dance, which is believed to ward off evil and bring happiness, was also performed and paraded through Chinatown to the beat of drums and cymbals.



A man in his 30s from Yamaguchi Prefecture said, ``I was moved by the power of the stage.The whole town was lively and it was really fun.''



Cao Yingsheng, chairman of the Nankinmachi Shopping District Promotion Association, said, ``Although the Chinese New Year festival is being held in the midst of the Noto Peninsula earthquake and the continuing difficult situation, Nankinmachi has survived the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and is here today, so I believe that it will definitely recover. I want you to feel even a little bit more positive."



The "Chinese New Year Festival" will be held until the 12th, with donation boxes set up at stores and booths to support the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

Tourists from China visit Sandanbeki, a national scenic spot Shirahama Town, Wakayama

In China, a long holiday to coincide with the Lunar New Year began on the 10th, and tourists from China were seen at tourist attractions in Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture.



The tourist facility located on Sandanbeki, a cliff designated as a national scenic spot in Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture, is known for its observation deck where you can enjoy magnificent ocean views, and has become a popular tourist spot on Chinese social media. .



On the 10th, groups of tourists from foreign countries continued to visit from the morning of the 10th.

According to the facility, although the number of foreign tourists has recovered to about half of what it was before the coronavirus outbreak, many people from mainland China are visiting on individual trips, so it seems that a full-fledged recovery has not yet occurred.



A man from Guangzhou said, ``I came to Japan for the first time in four years.I chose Shirahama not only because of the hot springs, but also because it was close to Guangzhou.''



A woman who came from Shanghai with her family said, ``I heard from a friend that Wakayama is a favorite place for Japanese people, so I decided to visit.I thought Osaka and Kyoto would be crowded during the Chinese New Year, so I came to Wakayama.I loved the sea view and hot springs. I want to enjoy it," he said.



Kuriyama Ryu of the tourist facility Sandanbeki Cave said, ``Normally, there are many Japanese people on holidays, but with the Chinese New Year, the number of tourists from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, etc. is increasing. However, the number of tourists has not returned to the level before the coronavirus pandemic. "I hope that the number of tourists from mainland China will increase in the future."

A lively event with authentic Chinese food Tokyo Ueno Park

An event is being held at Ueno Park in Tokyo to let people feel the excitement of the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival while enjoying authentic Chinese food, and many people are visiting.



This event was sponsored by a local merchant association to liven up the area during the Spring Festival.



There were approximately 60 food and beverage stalls lined up at the venue, offering local specialties such as tantan noodles from Sichuan, lamb skewers from Inner Mongolia, and fried chicken from Taiwan.

Some of the dishes included unusual dishes such as steamed buns decorated with panda faces and stewed crawfish, and the visitors were able to find and taste the dishes to their heart's content.

At the venue, there was also a photo exhibition showing how Xiang Xiang, a panda who was born and raised at Ueno Zoo and was returned to China last year, is living in China, and visitors were able to take a close look at Xiang Xiang, who was doing well. Ta.



Some of the people who visited were from China, and a man in his 20s, an office worker, said, ``I've lived in Japan for about 15 years and I feel nostalgic about the Chinese New Year, so I came here.I want to enjoy a variety of Chinese food.'' "It is," he said.



Ichiro Okawara, vice chairman of the Ueno Chuo-dori Shopping Association, which organized the event, said, ``Some of the items are made by local people, so I hope people from all over the world can come and enjoy the Chinese New Year.'' This event will be held until the 12th.