The Vietnamese Community in Japan — Associations, Temples, and Prefecture-Based Groups

10 major Vietnamese temples in Japan

Vietnamese temples are more than places of worship—they are also community centers that organize Lunar New Year celebrations, the Vu Lan ceremony on the 7th lunar month’s full moon, and Buddha’s Birthday celebrations.

Kanto (Tokyo + surrounding areas)

1. Nisshinkutsu Temple (Nhật Tân Quật) — Tokyo Shibuya

   • Address: 1-24-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
   • Tokyo’s largest Vietnamese temple, led by a Vietnamese monk
   • Lunar New Year celebrations attract 3,000+ Vietnamese people every year

2. Daionji Temple (Chùa Đại Ân) — Saitama

   • Address: Omiya-ku, Saitama-shi
   • A gathering place for the Vietnamese community in Saitama

3. Lien Hoa Temple (Chùa Liên Hoa) — Chiba

   • Serves Vietnamese technical interns in Chiba and the Tokyo Bay area

4. Vietnamese Temple of Kanagawa (Chùa Việt Nam Kanagawa) — Yokohama

   • For Vietnamese people in Kanagawa and Yokohama

Kansai (Osaka + surrounding areas)

5. Hoa Lac Temple (Chùa Hoà Lạc) — Osaka

   • Near Namba and easy to reach from many areas
   • The resident monk often helps with paperwork services

6. Phuoc Son Temple (Chùa Phước Sơn) — Kyoto

   • Quiet, with a style combining Japanese and Vietnamese Zen traditions

Chubu (Nagoya + surrounding areas)

7. Tokai Amida Temple (Chùa Tokai Amida) — Aichi (Toyohashi)

   • Community of technical interns and tokutei gino workers in Aichi
   • Free Japanese classes for newcomers

8. Dai Nam Buddhist Temple (Chùa Đại Nam Phật Giáo) — Gifu

   • Serves the Vietnamese community in the mountainous region

Kyushu

9. Phat Hue Fukuoka Temple (Chùa Phật Huệ Fukuoka)
   • Near Hakata Station
   • Holds Japanese and Vietnamese classes for children

Hokkaido + colder regions

10. Phuoc Binh Sapporo Temple (Chùa Phước Bình Sapporo)
    • The Vietnamese community in Hokkaido—small but close-knit
    • Tết is usually held jointly with the Hokkaido University student association

Vietnamese associations by prefecture

Association of Vietnamese in Japan (VAIJ)

• The largest organization, with branches in every major prefecture
• Website: vaij.jp
• The chairperson and executive members are long-term students in Japan or professionals
• Services: advice on visas, jobs, housing, and funeral support

Vietnamese Youth and Student Association in Japan (VYSA)

• Website: vysa.jp
• Branches in every major city (Tokyo Branch, Osaka Branch, Nagoya Branch…)
• Activities: orientation for new students arriving in Japan, skills workshops, and networking with Japanese companies recruiting students

Vietnamese-Japanese Business Association (VJBA)

• For people working in business / start-ups
• Networking and support with company registration procedures in Japan

Smaller industry-based associations

• Vietnamese Care Workers Association in Japan (Kaigo — EPA, Tokutei Gino)
• Association of Vietnamese IT Engineers in Japan
• Vietnamese Chefs Association in Japan

Official Facebook / Zalo groups

Facebook

• "Vietnamese People in Japan": 300k+ members, the largest group, with news and Q&A on all kinds of topics
• "Part-Time Jobs in Tokyo/Osaka/Aichi": organized by prefecture, 50-100k members, for posting baito jobs
• "Selling Vietnamese Goods in Japan": buying and selling Vietnamese products (rice, fish sauce, shrimp paste, fermented pork rolls)
• "Vietnamese International Students in Japan": exclusively for international students
• "Vietnamese Mothers in Japan": for Vietnamese mothers raising children in Japan

Zalo

• Prefecture- or school-specific Zalo groups—find them through senpai recommendations
• Zalo is more convenient than Facebook when you need a quick answer (fast responses in Vietnamese)
• Warning: many Zalo groups include unauthorized recruiters—check carefully before accepting a job

LINE

• Some associations use LINE (which is well suited to Japan)
• The Hải Dương, Nghệ An, and Hà Tĩnh hometown associations in Japan all have LINE groups

Major annual community events

January-February: Lunar New Year

• Vietnamese temples hold New Year’s Eve ceremonies (on the evening of the 30th day of Tết according to the Vietnamese calendar)
• Vietnamese associations + VYSA organize large Tết celebrations at public halls
• Tokyo: usually held at Shin-Okubo community hall (500+ people)

March: Hùng Kings’ Commemoration Day

• Held at the embassy / consulates general and Vietnamese temples

June-July: Vu Lan (Buddhist filial-piety ceremony)

• On the full moon of the 7th lunar month, with floating lanterns released in remembrance of parents

September-October: Mid-Autumn Festival

• Organized for Vietnamese children (children of technical interns + employees)
• Mooncakes and lion dances

November-December: Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (20/11)

• Organized by VYSA, inviting Japanese-language teachers at Japanese schools with Vietnamese roots

Finding people from your hometown when you first arrive — checklist

First week

• Join 3 Facebook groups based on your prefecture + relevant topic (study abroad / work)
• Ask for the Zalo number of a senpai at your school (through the school admin or admissions staff)
• Find a Vietnamese temple near your home and attend your first full-moon ceremony

First month

• Attend 1 VYSA / VAIJ event in your city
• Join your school’s Zalo group (through a senpai)
• Post an introduction in your prefecture’s Facebook group—find friends

First 3 months

• Attend 1 free Japanese class organized by a temple/association
• Visit Vietnamese restaurants (Shin-Okubo Tokyo, Nipponbashi Osaka) to meet Vietnamese people
• Make friends with 2-3 Vietnamese people at your company/school

Emergency support — when you need it most

Accident / serious illness

1. Call 119 (emergency services — free)
2. Say "ベトナム人です、通訳お願いします" (I’m Vietnamese; please provide an interpreter)
3. The operator will transfer you to a Vietnamese-language line
4. Contact VAIJ + the embassy if you need longer-term support

Lost your job / visa about to expire

• Contact VYSA or VAIJ—they have community lawyers who offer free advice
• Avoid “visa sponsorship services” advertised on Facebook—90% are scams

Employer exploitation / unpaid wages

• Hello Work (the Labor Standards Office in each ward)
• The Tokyo Bar Association offers Vietnamese-language services
• The embassy can provide support in serious cases

A death in the family in Vietnam

• The embassy can issue an emergency confirmation letter
• Some large companies allow paid kichou leave (帰朝 — urgent return home)

Summary

There are nearly 600,000 Vietnamese people in Japan—you won’t be alone no matter which prefecture you live in. Every region has VAIJ/VYSA associations, Vietnamese temples that organize Tết and religious ceremonies, and Facebook/Zalo groups with 50-300k members for questions and answers. The Tokyo Embassy and the 2 consulates general in Osaka/Fukuoka assist with paperwork. During your very first week in Japan: join a prefecture-based FB group + ask for the Zalo number of a senpai at your school. In an emergency, call 119 for Vietnamese-language interpretation.

Preparing to live in Japan long term? Read more about how to open a Yuucho bank account and registering your juminhyo. Want to meet fellow Vietnamese people on your day off? Use the AI Trip Planner to plan a trip to Tokyo’s Shin-Okubo—the largest Vietnamese district in Japan.

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