From Japan to Kerala, bringing Udon to Onam | Shintaro Tanaka | TEDxPunkunnam Thrissur
What inspires a young man from rural Japan to plant roots in Kerala? For Shintaro Tanaka, it was a deep admiration for India—sparked by a film, nurtured through travel, and realised through food. After running two cafés in his hometown of Ogawa and exploring organic farming, Shintaro arrived in Kerala in 2023 on a cycling journey. What began as an adventure turned into a calling. Today, he brings handcrafted Japanese Udon noodles and authentic flavours to Keralites through his café, OGAWA. In this heartfelt talk, Shintaro shares how culture, cuisine, and curiosity shaped his path—from a small Japanese village to a new life in India—proving that food can be a powerful bridge between worlds. Shintaro, introduces Keralites to some authentic flavours of Japan, notably its handcrafted Udon noodles. This is not Shintaro’s first rodeo. He used to run two cafes back in his village of Ogawa. His journey from organic farming to café ownership in India was inspired by a profound admiration for the country, sparked by the film Gandhi by Richard Attenborough. In 2007, at the age of 20, Shintaro fulfilled his long-held dream of visiting India. In 2023, he came to Kerala for a cycling journey and solidified his decision to make it the home of his cafe, OGAWA This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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