Japanese culture, cuisine, traditions come alive

Visitors got a feel of Japanese culture and tradition at 'Japan Habba' on Sunday.  The St Joseph's College auditorium on Langford Road bustled with activities ranging from Origami and calligraphy workshop, quiz, screening of Japanese films to rendition of Kannada songs by Japanese singers. Japanese expats, Japanese language students, students from various educational institutions and curious visitors thronged the venue.

Tia Jamir, a student from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, said it was her first visit to Japan Habba. She said: “I interacted with representatives of the Japanese community and discussed their culture, tradition and food.”

The festival brought Apurva K memories of her visit to Japan. She said: “I came from Mumbai especially to take part in the habba and it is wonderful to witness a blend of two cultures under one roof.”

The food stalls, offering Indian and Japanese cuisine like sushi, filter coffee and noodles, were a hit.

Secretary, Japan Habba Organising Committee, Yuki O E, said that on Sunday, around 270 Japanese expats, most of them working professionals took part in the fest. She said the committee was officially set up two years ago and each year, it was growing bigger.

The festival presented by The Japan Habba Trust in association with Japanese Association of Bangalore, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders also witnessed ‘Yukata Trial’ where women tried on Yukata, a traditional Japanese garment.