HAIKOU, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) — As nightfall settled over Haikou, capital of south China’s Hainan Province, Japanese restaurateur Kato Tetsuya moved between tables in his softly lit bistro, chatting with diners in his halting Chinese beside his spouse.
The 62-year-old from Tokyo, Japan, was working within the hair and style trade when a good friend invited him to Beijing in 2008, and little did he know that this transfer would mark the start of an almost two-decade chapter of his life in China.
“I was caught by my Chinese wife,” Kato stated with a smile, explaining why he stayed, recalling how only a yr after arriving in Beijing, he met Niu Qian. From falling in love and getting married to beginning a enterprise, his life in China has been each busy and fulfilling.
Although Kato labored in hairdressing, a lot of his Japanese pals knew he was a talented cook dinner of selfmade Japanese dishes, and performing on their suggestion, he ventured into the catering trade. In 2016, he opened his first Japanese bistro in Beijing, which has since develop into a beloved vacation spot for locals searching for genuine Japanese delicacies.
According to him, the cultural variations between China and Japan have really helped him combine into life right here. “Most Japanese people tend to keep their thoughts to themselves, but Chinese people are more straightforward and frank, which fits perfectly with my personality. So living in China makes me feel at ease,” Kato stated.
Last winter, Kato, alongside together with his household and pals, was invited by the Hainan Free Trade Port Japanese Enterprise Cooperation Center to go to the island. The favorable insurance policies of the free commerce port revealed new potentialities. “I heard that Hainan is developing rapidly, and I believe this place is full of opportunities,” he stated, including that the nice and cozy and outgoing native folks, together with the nice local weather, additional impressed his determination to begin a enterprise there.
In May, Kato and his spouse moved from Beijing to Haikou, kicking off a brand new chapter in his entrepreneurial journey in China. Together with two Japanese pals, they opened a bistro named “Jijiz Uncles” in August.
“In Japanese, ‘Jijiz’ means ‘uncles,’ and it represents the three of us Japanese uncles,” stated Kato. The whole course of, from choosing the placement and designing and adorning the restaurant to sourcing components, took simply two months — far faster than Kato had anticipated — and wouldn’t have been attainable with out the assist of the Japanese Enterprise Cooperation Center and the federal government.
Since its opening, the restaurant has welcomed many purchasers, together with locals who communicate Japanese or have traveled to Japan, in addition to pals visiting from Beijing and Shanghai. “I believe we will attract even more customers in the future,” he stated.
With the Hainan Free Trade Port set to launch its island-wide particular customs operations by the tip of 2025, Kato is already making long-term plans. He aspires to open extra branches and switch “Jijiz” right into a showcase for Japanese components and culinary methods.
“Hainan has many unique local ingredients and flavors. These can be combined with Japanese cuisine to create new tastes,” Kato stated. He stated he plans to proceed researching and creating new fusion dishes, and hopes that extra Chinese folks won’t solely style Japanese delicacies but additionally expertise the distinctive environment and tradition of a Japanese bistro.
“After the Hainan Free Trade Port launches its island-wide special customs operations, it will attract more diverse international influences. However, cultural integration takes time,” Kato stated, including that he’s prepared to behave as a promoter and contribute to this cultural change and development.