BENGALURU: In recent years, there’s been a growing interest among Bengalureans in Japanese culture and language, largely fueled by the increasing popularity of Japanese pop culture such as anime and manga. Japan Habba, the annual cultural festival that spotlights the best of Japan in Bengaluru, has long been a hub for enthusiasts of the Japanese language and culture.
For those looking for more frequent interactions, Minna Shuugou! Cubbon Park offers a regular event that brings together locals interested in Japanese culture and the nearly 1,000-strong Japanese community in Bengaluru, bridging the gap between each edition of Japan Habba.
“Japan Habba takes place only once a year, so we wanted to create a platform where Indian people who study Japanese and Japanese residents can meet regularly and build a sense of community,” shares Meghna Vijaykumar, who co-founded the initiative alongside Saori Sarkar, a Bengaluru resident of Japanese origin, and Nivi Pal, a city-based techie. “We don’t have any high objectives. We just meet for fun. If anyone has the slightest interest, they can show up,” adds Saori, who has lived in India for nearly 15 years.
Established in October 2023, Minna Shuugou! Cubbon Park has quickly gained traction, attracting over 800 members. Meetings are held on the second Sunday of every month at 10am in Cubbon Park. “Before this, other Japanese communities required a high level of Japanese proficiency or were specific to anime clubs. This is a great middle-ground where everyone can join, even if they don’t know Japanese,” explains Pal.
Recently, Minna Shuugou! Cubbon Park hosted celebrations of Tanabata, a traditional Japanese festival also known as the Star Festival, honouring the meeting of deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. Participants wrote wishes on Japanese paper, tied them to bamboo branches alongside beautiful origami pieces they crafted. The event saw an impressive turnout, reflecting the growing interest in Japanese traditions. “It starts with wanting to improve your language, but soon it becomes more about getting to know the culture and making new friends,” shares a regular participant. “I really enjoyed my first Minna Shuugou! It’s great for socialising. I have made many friends here,” adds another attendee.
The initiative has also fostered strong ties with the local Japanese community in Bengaluru. “So many Indian people are enthusiastic about Japan and Japanese culture,” says Yu, a Japanese resident who volunteers at these events. “Most of them are young, which is exciting to see.”
The events often conclude with social outings, thanks to a collaboration with the Bengaluru Foodies Club (BFC). “After the event, we all go out together and eat,” shares an admin from BFC. “Saori-San suggested that we collaborate, and it’s been great.”
(The next event is slated for August 11. For more details, follow @minnashuugou on Instagram)