They forget to mention there are also many pubs and lounges of japanese concepts around this area. e.g are Quan Nho and Bin Bin
Little Japan in downtown Ho Chi Minh City
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Unlike the capital Ha Noi with its 1000-year-old moss-covered scenery, or the quiet and romantic ancient capital Hue, Ho Chi Minh City is young and modern at only 300 years of age. Life in Ho Chi Minh City features the cultural value of both history and humanity, which have been crystallized and sublimated through the interaction of many different cultures.
Following the general trend of national openness and global integration, a community of Japanese people has come to live together in Ho Chi Minh City, quickly adapting to city life and forming a new international residence now called Little Japan. Perhaps now, such names as Yumi, Nagomi, Sashimi, and Toyota - written on lanterns, wooden pillars or signs have become more familiar to the eyes of locals.
Very different from the Western Backpacker Area in Ho Chi Minh City, the parade of restaurants in Little Japan is quiet and a little deeper as it moves backward past tight-closing doors. On this stretch of Le Thanh Ton street, only 800 metres long, there are about 20 Japanese restaurants. These Japanese restaurants not only serve the community of Little Japan but also attract domestic and foreign customers living and working in this vital city. The environment of the restaurants make Japanese customers feel at home, as do the dishes, which use ingredients imported from their native country.
It is not only Japanese but also Vietnamese people who love Japanese culture. Nguyen Truong Hai, a Sous-Chef working in a Japanese restaurant, said: “I knew Japanese cuisine just by chance. Previously, I had a passion for Japanese language and culture. I found Japanese cuisine very interesting and attractive; so, I learned to be a Japanese cook. The more I learned, the more I found Japanese cuisine to be plentiful and diverse. Among Japanese dishes, it is said that sushi is still always the unforgettable specialty to many customers.”
Nowadays, according to unofficial statistics, there are nearly 300 Japanese households living in the Little Japan area around Le Thanh Ton street. These international residents living in Vietnam have stable jobs and intend on a long stay. It is said that Little Japan in Sai Gon is very different from other Japanese areas all over the world. Here in Saigon, Japanese and Vietnamese families, as well as other foreign families, seem to exist in a more open atmosphere .The lack of borders between the Japanese and the Vietnamese has made the Japanese community in Saigon become more diverse.
Jade Gantier (Ngoc), a French student, said: "I really love to eat sushi and maki, along with many other dishes whose names I don’t know but are very tasty. I come to Japanese restaurants with my friends here 2-3 times a week.”
Safety, quiet and easy-living is what Japanese people have commented on when speaking of life in Ho Chi Minh City. Moreover, they have the warm affection of their Vietnamese neighbors. Just as many people think, the best way to cope with life change is the promotion of culture and tradition of a nation, in order to preserve its happiness, success and achievements. The Japanese have done it thoroughly and nicely in Vietnam.
Nowadays, the relations between Japan and Vietnam have been set up on the basis of economic development. According to the latest survey by the Japanese External Trade organization, Vietnam is the first choice of Japanese investors when seeking investment opportunities in Asian countries. It is reasonable to believe that Little Japan could develop further in the near future, not only in Saigon, but also in other major Vietnamese cities.