A variety of performances, including?giant puppet shows, Sichuan Opera, acrobatics and tea art performances, wowed the audience during the gala of "Culture of China, Festival of Spring" in Nagoya, Japan on January 6.

The shows, staged by the Sichuan Puppet Theatre, brought the audience closer to the beauty of Chinese culture and art.

The?giant puppet shows, an ancient art form popular in northern Sichuan Province,?is a national intangible cultural heritage.

The Chinese New Year celebration, the 9th edition of its kind, is hosted by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and undertaken by the Department of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs of Sichuan Provincial People's Government.

The event has four more stops, in Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Sibu.

A total of six performances will be staged in Japan and Malaysia.