Hindustani Army’s Hotel in Japan Becomes a Stylish Café Now
© 2021 Liem. All Rights Reserved.
Do you know that more than 1 million Hindustani people stayed in certain west area in Japan after the World War Second?
The west area of Japan was occupied by the British Commonwealth Occupation Force including Hindustani troops. Hindustani armies had their duty from April 1945 to October 1947 mainly.
Hindustani soldiers celebrated their Independence Days of both India and Pakistan apart from their mother lands. For example, the Headquarter of the British Indian Division (BRINDIV) in Okayama gifted sweets to 1,500 orphans and set off fireworks. Maratha troops in Hamada showed Mallakhamb and wrestling in front of 3,000 guest – children, and set off fireworks.
After those celebration, all Hindustani troops and their 96 families in Japan hurried to get ready leaving from Japan under Jawaharlal Nehru’s order that all Hindustani occupation forces in the world had to return to India.
The Hindustani troops had acquired their freedom after their struggle against the British and started their own countries; India and Pakistan as same as Japanese had started up from the ashes of the war.
The final repatriation vessels; ‘Talma’ and ‘Dilwara’ with about 1,500 Hindustani people departed from Kure, Japan on 25 October 1947, i.e., 74 years ago.
Before their leave, they took holidays at a leave center dedicated for Hindustani troops in Uji, Kyoto where U. S. army frequently visited. The center was also occupied by United States Force, however handed it over to British Force. After leaving Hindustani guests, the center was returned to its first Japanese owner.
Now, the architecture of the center is registered a part of ‘treasure cultural landscape to future generations’ by Government of Japan, and renovated as a Japanese tea café. We can enjoy the same landscape and atmosphere that Hindustani army spent there at that time.
The center, Kikuya Mampekiro, had been a famous Japanese auberge since around 1700, and the main house, named Seifukaku, was built at the beginning of 20th century on the river bank of Uji-gawa. Now, a Japanese tea company, Nakamura Tokichi since 1854 is running café after succession.
I had an interview with Mr. Shingo Nakamura, a company director. According to his memory, the landlady of Kikuyu requested both his father and him to manage her property in 2001. Their carpenters found the structure strange and expanded parts during the old bungalow repair. We can see carved decorations of kiku, means chrysanthemum in Japanese, on Seifukaku. 71 Hindustani troops must had enjoyed their holidays in this beautiful house and the dance hall with a big chandelier hanged where Mr. Nakamura’s grandmother got impressive. According to Mr. Nakamura, he has not heard that Hindustani troops had a break at Kikuya, even in Uji.
Another leaving center near Biwa lake in Shiga prefecture, Kokkaso is still running now, but the building is reconstructed. 40 Hindustani troops could stay in Kokkaso and had chapati, prao and other Indian dishes.
When things return to normal, how about visiting those memorial places in Japan? I hope you can enjoy Japanese hospitality which haven’t changed since BRINDIV stay.
Official Sites of the present ”Kikuya” & “Kokkaso”
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