Between two cultures: Japanese expats find a home away from home in Gurugram

Japanese expats have found a home in Gurugram, even as they adapt to cultural differences, particularly the frequent honking on Indian roads

For Japanese expatriates living in Gurugram, finding a home involves more than choosing an apartment. Proximity to work, reliable maintenance, access to familiar food, and a comfortable living environment can make all the difference when settling into a new country. At the same time, adapting to a different culture brings its own discoveries, challenges and everyday adjustments.

For Japanese expats in Gurugram, a comfortable home means easy access to work, familiar food and dependable housing services (Krisumi)

At Krisumi City, an integrated development in Sector 36A along the Dwarka Expressway, these considerations intersect with a distinctive Indo-Japanese residential philosophy. Spread across 33.38 acres, Krisumi City is being developed by Krisumi Corporation, a joint venture between Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and India's Krishna Group.

The project seeks to translate its Indo-Japanese association into everyday living through Japanese-inspired architecture, contemporary amenities and an international residential community. The project lists 100 expatriate residents, including 97 Japanese nationals, one Sri Lankan, one Korean and one Venezuelan, who lease homes at an average rate of ₹100 per sq. ft.

Beyond the numbers, however, are the personal experiences of residents who are making India their home while balancing demanding careers with the opportunities and challenges of living in a different cultural environment.

Comfort in the everyday

For one Japanese resident, a senior executive at an automotive parts manufacturing company in India, who did not wish to be named, life at Krisumi Waterfall Residences offers a welcome sense of comfort amid a busy professional schedule.

With work occupying much of his time, weekends are usually reserved for relaxing at home rather than going out. What he appreciates most about his living environment is the attention to everyday details.

The maintenance team responds promptly, common areas remain clean and well-maintained, and the staff are professional, polite, and helpful. These seemingly routine aspects of residential living become particularly important when adjusting to life in another country, he told Hindustan Times.

His experience of living abroad is not new. Having spent eight years in the United States, he is accustomed to navigating different cultural settings. India, he says, offers its own distinct experience, one he enjoys. The appeal of the development, he says, lies not in recreating Japan in India, but in finding a comfortable balance between the two cultures.

What stands out most is the people's energy and the country's economic momentum. The sense of dynamism he encounters in everyday life makes India an exciting place to live and work, he says.

Familiar flavours, new experiences

Food remains an important consideration for expatriates, particularly when sourcing familiar ingredients and products for everyday meals.

This Japanese resident typically shops at Sekai Ichiba in South Point Mall or at Central Mall for Japanese groceries and daily essentials. Access to familiar products makes settling into a new environment easier, even as he explores the differences that India offers.

He would welcome a wider selection of Japanese food products at the store within Krisumi itself, making everyday shopping more convenient.

Location matters

For another Japanese expatriate, the decision to live in Krisumi City was driven by a practical consideration: the daily commute. Although his company offered several residential options, he chose the development because the commuting time to his workplace in the Manesar area was reasonable. For professionals whose schedules revolve around work, the ability to manage travel time can be as important as the home itself.

Shopping for daily necessities generally takes him to nearby malls, making access to essential services another part of his routine.

Traffic: A cultural contrast

Life in India has brought its share of cultural contrasts, with traffic standing out as a particularly noticeable difference. The frequent use of horns on Indian roads is markedly different from what he is accustomed to in Japan, where road etiquette follows different norms, the second expat points out.

Navigating everyday challenges

Hygiene and the availability of clean toilet facilities remain other aspects of daily life that the second expat finds challenging, highlighting some of the practical adjustments involved in adapting to a new country.

Indo-Japanese living in the heart of Gurugram

Krisumi City has begun developing The Forest Reserve and The Forest Reserve-II, Phases 5 and 6 of the project. The two phases will have 542 residences, with an investment of over ₹1,300 crore over five years and an estimated revenue potential of more than ₹4,000 crore.

Planned as an ultra-luxury residential development, The Forest Reserve will feature two-, three- and four-LDK residences, drawing on Japanese spatial planning and functional design principles. The project is being designed by Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei and will span approximately 1.67 million sq. ft. Residences are planned to range from approximately 2,166 sq. ft. to 3,993 sq. ft., with prices starting at around ₹4.9 crore, depending on configuration and applicable charges.

Commenting on the commencement of development, Ashok Kapur, chairman of Krisumi Corporation, said the project brings together the company's philosophy of Japanese craftsmanship and Indian hospitality, with an emphasis on nature, thoughtful design and quality.

The Forest Reserve will also offer residents access to The Cascades Club, a 162,000 sq. ft. private members' club conceived around recreation, dining and social interaction. Its offerings include spa experiences inspired by Japanese traditions, signature dining, lounges, an indoor sports arena and curated members-only events.