Bangalore:
The large and rising number of Japanese enterprises and families in Bangalore is encouraging the emergence of products and services targeted at this community.
Tokyo-based Nippon Infrastructure Company, in association with entrepreneur Nic U Iqbal, is setting up an exclusive business hotel for the Japanese community on Langford Road. This fully Jap-styled, 30-room hotel called Uno-Inn will be operational from November 1. Iqbal, together with another investor, is also launching a chain of Kenkos (Japanese health outlets) to sell Japanese health drugs, herbs, health devices, health accessories, skin, hair and hygiene products. The maiden store is coming up on Brigade Road on a 7,000 sqft facility.
In August, Toyota Enterprises, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, entered into a joint venture with Hyagreeva Hotels and Resorts that owns and operates The Chancery hospitality brand in Bangalore. TOI had then reported that, under this pact, Toyota Enterprises would take over 52 rooms in The Chancery on Lavelle Road and invest in styling and ambience to fit Japanese standards. A Japanese restaurant and spa are also being added and will be operational from January 2013.
The Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) estimates that Bangalore is home to around 200 Japanese companies — most prominent of which is Toyota Motor Company — and over 600 Japanese families. It also estimates that over 12,000 Japanese visit Bangalore every year on business assignments.
The Karnataka government has also made a big pitch for Japanese investments. At the Global Investors Meet this year, the largest foreign delegation, with some 50 members, was said to have been from Japan. The government has been talking about establishing a township exclusively for Japanese expats on 1,000 acres of land, with residential accommodation, restaurants, pagodas, hospitals and schools. The government, in association with the Japanese government, is also said to be looking at establishing a Japanese-language school in Bangalore to help Kannadigas learn Japanese and improve their chances of employment in Japanese firms. A plan for a Japanese bullet train project between Chennai and Bangalore, and Bangalore and Hubli is occasionally heard.
So understandably there is increasing demand for quality Japanese lodging and dining facilities in Bangalore. Iqbal, who has 15 years of working experience in Japan including a five-year term with the Japanese government, told TOI: “Many of these Japanese visitors to Bangalore are on slightly long visits, like a week or more. From my interaction with them I understand that they prefer to stay in a place that gives them a touch of home and Japanese food.”
Naomi Isono, director of Uno-Inn, said, “We are tying to make this hotel as Japanese as possible. It will have Japanese executives, Japanese chefs and Japanese food. The entire decor and ambience of rooms, restaurants and the hotel building will be in Japanese style.”
The Chancery’s Japanese wing will include a dedicated Japanese concierge service, reception desk, signboards, staff for guidance, a floor manager, and a large communal bath area.
This bath area will replicate the hot spring bath experience common in Japan. The rooms will be customized to Japanese requirements, with large desks, bidet toilets and expanded space for long stay guests.
In an earlier interaction, Naveen Raju, director, Hyagreeva Hotels and Resorts, had said that the city hotels sold 1,800 room nights to Japanese business travellers every month.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Business> India Business / by Mini Joseph Tejaswi & Anshul Dhamija, TNN / October 23rd, 2012