Nithya, Ono switch on their charm offensive for Tokyo drift

During her first official assignment as the Cultural Ambassador of Japan in India, Masako Ono was quick to dispel myths about language problems in the city. She is also an Odissi dancer who has been living in India for 24 years. On Friday, Ono was accompanied by actor Nithya Menon who has recently returned from a three-week solo trip to Japan.

“Tokyo is a city where the old meets the new. Along with old parks and traditional commercial places, the city has made space for the new,” said Ono.

“Take Shibuya, for example. This place has the hottest fashion and culture trends and is a popular shopping destination. It also has uniquely themed cafes where you can experience virtual reality games. Then there is Kabukicho which is one of Asia’s biggest entertainment districts, filled with ninja and warlord themed cafes. And in contrast to it is Yanaka which is popular for its old Tokyo style shopping streets and historical places like Yanaka cemetery. There are also places where you can experience traditional arts and crafts,” Ono said.

Meanwhile, for Menon, her trip to Japan was a life-changing experience. “I went to that country as a vegetarian, I returned as a non–vegetarian,” said the actor. “I could not eat sushi because of the raw fish, but I feasted on fish tempuras and noodles,” she said while recollecting another experience where she emptied an entire bottle of chilli into her food because it was not spicy enough. “The people around me told me that the dish was no longer Japanese. It had become Indian with all the chilly,” laughed Menon.

She also added that throughout her journey, she never felt unsafe. To this, Ono said, “You will never have to fear about safety in Japan. You can roam around on your own or with your family without any worry at all.”

The number of Indian tourists visiting Japan has been increasing steadily, claim official sources. The year 2019 witnessed a 14.2 per cent rise in the number with 1.75 lakh Indians having visited the country.