 Indo-Japanese
Friendship Association was founded in 1979. Presently, the
association has around 400 members. It was started to promote
friendship between India and Japan." It is open to members
and public. Here, the members of the association build cultural
and business ties," says V.L. Rao, President of the
Association.
What are the activities of the Association? "We have
conducted several Japanese cultural programmes over the years.
We host traditional programmes like Japanese Tea Ceremony
and conferences on Ikebana. In the year 2000 we hosted
a Japanese Tea Ceremony which was the first of its kind in
Bangalore and also in India."
There are around 200 Japanese in our city and a few of them
are employed in companies like Toyota, Sony and Yokogawa.
Toyota Group has encouraged more Japanese to work
in the company and its ancillaries. "The Toyota Company
in Bidadi and other related companies in and around Bangalore
have encouraged more Japanese to come here and work and participate
in the building of our economy. Yama Zaki, Managing Director
of Toyota Kirloskar Motor is a very supportive
man and lends a warm shoulder to the Japanese living here. A
Japanese Consulate is expected to be set up in a year
or two from now
."Japanese culture lies in its simplicity. Their faith
lies in themselves. Their  temples
don't boast of architectural excellence; they are decorated
in a very simple fashion and made of wood. "They build and
rebuild again and again. They like minimum ornamentation and
maximum naturalness."
The Japanese are not very religious people. They believe
in themselves more than God. "They visit the Shinto Shrine
on January 1st of every year. Apart from that, they rarely go
to a shrine. And when someone dies, they conduct the funeral
in a Buddhist temple.
" The Japanese come here because our city has a salubrious
climate. "They get together in Nihon Jin -Kai, a Japanese
friendship association and also at a restaurant on Church Street
- Dahlia."
The Japanese are great lovers of seafood. "Their food is
bland, mainly consisting of seafood - prawn and
fish and rice. They mainly eat early in the evening. And the
secret of their slim figures is that they do not
eat much of oily and fried foods. "
 From
where do they get the ingredients to prepare their dishes?
"Most of their needs are bought from Singapore,
including rice and other flavouring agents."
Do they have any problems? "First of all, they don't socialise
much. As they don't speak much English, they face more difficulties
than other foreigners.
Men tend to be workaholics. They mind their own business.
Apart from that, during their leisure they play golf and Mahjong,
a popular game in Japan (quite similar to Rummy). The Japanese
women are homely. They are very keen to learn more about Indian
culture."
For more information on Japanese Culture and Japanese in Bangalore,
contact: V.L. Rao
Address: 66, 31st Cross,7th Block, Jayanagar,
Bangalore - 560 070
Phone: 664 9125
Email:
tashi@bgl.vsnl.net.in
Vinay J.
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