Introduction Today, Princess Anio is widely recognized as a symbol of the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and Japan. Known in Vietnam as Công nữ Ngọc Hoa and remembered in Japan as Anio-san, her marriage to Japanese merchant Araki Sotaro has inspired books, exhibitions, festivals, and most recently the internationally acclaimed opera Princess Anio. However, many people may not realize that her story appeared on Vietnamese television nearly three decades before the op

Introduction More than four hundred years after her journey from Hoi An to Nagasaki, Princess Anio remains one of the most beloved historical figures connecting Vietnam and Japan. Known in Vietnam as Công nữ Ngọc Hoa and in Japan as Anio-san, her story has been preserved through historical documents, local traditions, festivals, and cultural memories that continue to inspire people in both countries. Yet beyond the well-known story of her marriage to the Japanese merchant Ara

Introduction Araki Sotaro is remembered as one of the most important Japanese merchants in the history of Vietnam–Japan relations. Living during the golden age of maritime trade in the seventeenth century, he traveled regularly between Nagasaki and Hoi An, helping connect two thriving port cities through commerce, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. Today, Araki Sotaro is best known as the husband of Princess Anio, also known as Princess Ngoc Hoa. Their marriage became one of t

Introduction Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen is remembered as one of the most influential rulers in Vietnamese history. Known as Lord Sai, he transformed Hoi An into one of Asia’s most important international trading ports during the seventeenth century and established the conditions that enabled cultural and commercial exchanges between Vietnam and Japan to flourish. Today, many people know him as the foster father of Princess Anio, also known as Princess Ngoc Hoa, whose marriage to