Haruka Takeda, a Tokyo resident, said she is very interested in Chinese food and brought her two sons to the festival.

"I really like hand-pulled noodles and Chinese acrobatics. The kids enjoy eating mapo tofu (a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province featuring tofu coated in a spicy and savory sauce)," Takeda said.

The festival has been growing year by year, with more and more participants, said Yasuo Fukuda, former Japanese prime minister and supreme advisor of the executive committee of China Festival 2023.

"You can catch a glimpse of over 3,500 years of culture right here. That's what this event is all about. I hope all of you will enjoy Chinese culture and that the friendship between China and Japan will continue for a long time to come," Fukuda said.

He emphasized that culture will survive no matter what happens. Therefore, with the continuation of cultural exchanges, the relationship between Japan and China will be secure.