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Inside Japan’s National Day in Delhi: Matcha tea, koto music, and omotenashi
In a move that won over the room, the Ambassador of Japan to India, Ono Keiichi, delivered a speech in fluent Hindi
Japan’s National Day celebrations in the Capital on Friday gave a glimpse of Omotenashi (Japanese hospitality). Marking an advanced celebration for the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan (Feb 23), the evening combined tradition and diplomatic camaraderie.
In a move that won over the room, the Ambassador of Japan to India, Ono Keiichi, delivered a speech in fluent Hindi. “Aaj yaha ekatrit hone ke liye aap sabhi ka dhanyawad,” he began.
“Bharat ko samajhne ke liye, maine alag-alag yatra ki hai. Main yaha Hindi mein sambodhit ho raha hoon, lekin yatraon ke dauran maine Gujarati, Telugu, mein bhi samwaad kiya hai.”
Switching to English, he added, “Now, let me speak in English,” as he expressed his gratitude to Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, chief guest of the night, for his contributions to Indo-Japan ties.
Rijiju, in his speech, said, “I must express my admiration for the Japanese Ambassador’s beautiful Hindi. It is an honour for me to join you in celebrating the National Day of Japan, marking the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor. As India and Japan prepare to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations next year, we are offered an opportunity to reflect on our journey and renew our commitment to a stronger, more dynamic, and future-oriented partnership.”
The highlight of the night was the traditional tea ceremony, where the Ambassador himself prepared matcha for Minister Rijiju. After a sip, a delighted Rijiju quipped, “I’ll not only become stronger with this, but also younger!”
The Minister quickly turned ‘pro,’ expertly handling the tea bowl and even teaching fellow guests the correct etiquette.
Also spotted in the crowd was author Lakshmi M Puri, who was charmed by the ritual. “The Japanese tea ceremony is beautiful, and very elaborate. It’s so well put together,” she remarked.
