'I've become a fan of Indian cuisine now'

Expat zone

Kazumasa Kuboki is Japanese but once you start talking to him, you'll realise how much of an  Indian he is at heart. It’s his third innings in India and that’s probably why he knows this country so well.

He can speak Hindi very well and is quite fluent in Kannada and Bengali. His latest attempt is to learn Tamil.

The head of Japan Desk at JCSS Consulting Pvt Ltd says, “India is a country that I absolutely love, so I am always excited to come back. I learn new things about the place each time I am here. India is the true definition of a rich and vibrant country.”

The first time Kuboki came here was in 1968 to complete his diploma course in Hindi at the University of Delhi. He visited again in 1971 as part of an exchange programme to do his Bachelor of Arts. It was in 1978 that he moved to Kolkata as part of the company he was working for. He adds, “I’ve been part of JCSS for a few years now and I’m glad I am helping in bringing India and Japan together.”

Though it may seem like he is well settled now, he had had a few problems during his first few visits. “Food was a major problem for me as I was not used to Indian food. I was used to having dishes which had soy sauce and miso in them. Here, food is rich, oily and spicy. It took me some time to adjust but I’ve become a fan of Indian cuisine now,” he explains.

During weekends, Kuboki enjoys visiting ‘Tandoor’. He also loves fish, curries,  ‘idli’, ‘dosa’, ‘rasam’ and ‘sambhar’.  He even tries to make some at home. When he is not trying out new cuisines, he heads out to play golf with his friends.

“I love watching Kannada movies. My favourite part are the songs! I make sure I understand the meaning of the song so that I can enjoy it thoroughly.”

His interest in languages has also taken him around the country.

He says, “It’s been a while since I travelled but I have seen several parts of India in the 20 years that I have lived here. I enjoy travelling to Buddhist places. Before I came to Bengaluru for work, I had done a one-month trip in Karnataka.”

With his years of experience here, he is thrilled to see how much India has progressed.

He explains, “When I first came here, things were very different. For everything you needed the government’s permission. It’s good to see that things have become calmer and life is much easier.”

When time allows, he visits Tokyo where he hails from.  “My wife is a professor in South Asian Politics and I have two sons who are working. I visit them three to four times a year. Whenever possible, my wife comes to India as well. I do miss my home and family sometimes but honestly, I’ve become very comfortable here.”

He aims to bring the two countries closer together and hopes that Japanese don’t believe in the preconceived notion that India is far behind. “It may have been the case years ago but India has progressed so much. I hope to change that notion and make them come here.”

Comparing the cultures, he comments, “The family ties here are very strong and wider than in Japan. For weddings especially, a large number of members attend the function and help each other out. It’s a great quality to have.”

Having said that, there are a few things that irritate him as well. “The concept of queues does not exist here and that’s very frustrating. Many think that they can 0get away with things and when you don’t consider other people’s feelings, you automatically become rude. Wish it wasn’t like that,” he exclaims.

Nevertheless, he doesn’t want to complain much as he feels at home here.

He adds, “Every year, the Japanese community in the city have an event called ‘Japan Habba’ where we share each other’s culture. For example, the Japanese will perform in Kannada and vice versa. I make it a point to respect Indian culture and mingle with as many people as I can to continue learning.”