Musubi Summer Camp 2022 — Chiba and Memories We Will Not Forget

When Obon comes around, Japanese families return to their hometowns to visit parents and relatives. Vietnamese living far from home, in turn, find their way back — to one another.

Into the warmth of friendship and the bonds of kin.

The 2022 Musubi Summer Camp of the Vietnamese Association in Japan (VAJ) — as it has been every year for more than four decades — wrapped up after three days brimming with laughter and song. The organizing committee would like to share a few highlights from this year’s camp, drawn from the notes and reflections of those who took part, and in conversation with camps of years past.

The camp coincided with Typhoon No. 8 making landfall in Chiba, which complicated not only the main activities — BBQ, campfire, group games — but also pickups and drop-offs. Even so, thanks to the organizing committee arriving a day ahead to prepare, a flexible program, and above all the enthusiasm of every participant, we made it through. In fact, the August storm seemed almost to soften the heavy summer heat of the Land of the Rising Sun. A summer full of experience. Unforgettable.

Speaking of experiences — there are moments most of us live through only once. A marriage proposal is surely one of them. But a proposal in the middle of wind and rain, with mountain forest to the right and a meadow fragrant with wild grass to the left, is something altogether different. Right here at the 2022 Musubi Summer Camp, the young singer Anh Đức formally asked his girlfriend Minh Tâm to marry him. Even the dragonflies resting on the young grass seemed to chime in with her “yes.”

Joining Anh Đức and Minh Tâm were many other young members of all ages and backgrounds, lending the camp its most vivid colors yet. More than 75% of participants were under 40, bringing a generous dose of “youth vitamins” to every activity. The all-night music session featured one piano, four guitars, and nearly twenty voices — from lyrical bolero to modern Vietnamese rap. Even the mountains and forest seemed to forget about sleep.

In recent years, our young members have not only made up the largest share of participants but have steadily grown into seasoned event organizers. From planning and budgeting to running games, cooking, and cleaning up, they take the lead at every turn. This year, a special highlight was a freestyle wrestling demonstration between two MMA athletes. The soft, rain-dampened grass may not have been the ideal arena, but it was enough for our young men to once again show the martial spirit of the Vietnamese people.

Beyond bringing fresh energy to the program, our younger members have also brought a modern perspective to camp life — and to community work more broadly. Drawing on their sharp eye for detail, they offered many valuable suggestions: strengthening communications on social media, widening the circle of exchange before and after the event, encouraging the participation of new members, and connecting Vietnamese communities across different parts of Japan.

The camp’s culinary program also deserves a mention, with a rich menu including Hanoi-style bún chả, cơm tấm with grilled pork and shredded pork skin, BBQ, late-night chicken porridge, bánh mì, and braised pork rice with pickled bean sprouts. The summer rain seemed to take on a deeper Vietnamese flavor because of it. Our heartfelt thanks once again to the lead chefs and the dedicated kitchen helpers who carried a piece of the homeland into the forests of Chiba.

As we said goodbye to Chiba, we believe many participants left behind memories of their youth that will not fade. They shared their hopes for the future with one another. And they took home a small piece of the homeland.

A small piece of home, kept safe between two hearts.