'We are a well-knit community'

Travelling is part of his job — but Japanese national and the counsellor and consul of the Embassy of Japan in India, Nobuaki Yamamoto, does not seem to be complaining about his stints in different parts of the world, especially in Bangalore. Currently, a resident of Rest House Road, he and his wife have developed a liking for the City.

“I have stayed in various parts of the world like the Netherlands, Switzerland,
the United States of America, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Canada and now Bangalore. I have had various kinds of experiences in these countries and staying in each has been a learning experience. Each time I go to a new country, I meet new people, see different cultures, customs, cuisines, languages and landscapes. I do get a culture shock when I go to a new country. But I try to overcome this and settle down,” he says.

His previous stay in Toronto was very special to him and he feels that he is still in the process of settling down in the City. “I am comfortable here but sometimes, I feel I am still in the process of settling down in Bangalore. Toronto has been very
memorable — my daughter studied in university and is now working there. I have been busy throughout the last year and haven’t had the opportunity to go and see her yet,” he says, adding, “I have now become accustomed to my work and the work
culture here. The basic work structure is not different — however, the issues that I deal with are. I enjoy my work here and my colleagues are extremely supportive and helpful.”
Everyone seems to be impressed with the pleasant weather in the City and he is no different.

“Before I came to Bangalore, a lot of people had told me about the weather in the City. It is very pleasant — better than that of other cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Another aspect of the City that I like is that certain things are available very easily here — but there a few things which are difficult to get. For instance, I had to go through a tedious process and submit many documents to get a phone connection. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables are available easily,” he adds.

He also says that he likes the fact that the City has so much variety in terms of clothes, food and gadgets. “Things are cheaper here as compared to other cities in the world. I have visited a few malls like Garuda Mall, Forum Mall and UB City. I like them, they are quite nice, Some of these malls are pretty expensive — but nice to visit. I haven’t been able to go around much, but do plan to take a small trip later. My wife and I wanted to take a trip to Mysore, but we did not have the time to go. Maybe we will be able to go this year,” he informs.

Japanese gadgets and cars are fairly common all around the City and he feels proud when people praise the technology of his country. “I see many people using products made in Japan. I feel very proud — when I walk on the roads, I see so many Japanese cars and it fills me with pride. As many as 800 people from Japan are here in Bangalore — though the number isn’t all that large, we are a well-knit community,” he explains.

He goes on to add that he has tried some Indian dishes and the vegetarian thali is his favourite.  “Once in a while, we go to Indian restaurants to eat. The other day, we went to an eatery to try out something new and had the thali. It was really fascinating — we were served so many dishes and we ate with our hands. The best part was that the food was served on a banana leaf. The quality of Japanese food served here is very good as well; the way they make sushi is quite authentic and I have seen tofu products at many places too,” he says.

“Initially, when I came to Bangalore, I wanted to walk to my office — but the traffic and lack of pavements and space deterred me. However, my wife and I often take walks in front of our apartment,” he wraps up.