Japanese ambassador eats Biryani with his hands. Others can learn from his openness

When travelling is reduced to an item on a bucket list and #wanderlust serves as a mere stepping stone to greater social media clout, a simple act can be a reminder of what it really means to be in another land whose riches, to quote the writer Pico Iyer, are differently dispersed. One such act was the choice made by Japan’s Ambassador to India, on a recent visit with his team to Delhi’s Andhra Bhavan, to decline the use of a spoon to eat the canteen’s justly famous biryani. Seated before a fragrant plateful, he used his hands and emulated the Indian diners around him.

This is soft diplomacy done well, as the virality of the visit’s video has shown. Warmth responds to warmth, an understanding that is lost amidst the loud chest-beating of today’s global politics. And what better context for this than a meal? Long before McDonald’s, food was already a carrier of ideas and beliefs, trailing revolutions and reinventions in its wake. If one outcome of this long history of churn is the global menu of the 21st century on which nothing — from paneer tikka pizza to matcha latte — is too alien or exotic, the other is the recognition that hierarchy has no room at the dining table.

In a world beset by growing provincialism, and a fortress mentality that narrows the vision to only that which can be seen through an arrowslit, a simple gesture from the representative of a country with its own elaborate dining etiquette becomes a call to widen the aperture and invite differences of every kind into the frame.

Overall Analysis

The editorial uses a small, everyday gesture to make a larger argument about cultural openness and diplomacy. It begins by critiquing modern travel culture, where experiences are often reduced to social media moments and personal branding. Against this backdrop, the Japanese ambassador’s choice to eat biryani with his hands is presented as a refreshing reminder of what genuine engagement with another culture looks like — participation rather than observation.

The author then elevates this simple act into an example of soft diplomacy. The language suggests that warmth and respect cannot be manufactured through loud political posturing but are built through humility and shared human experiences. Food is used as a powerful metaphor here: historically, cuisines have travelled with ideas, beliefs, and social change. By highlighting how global food culture has evolved, the editorial argues that cultural exchange works best when hierarchy and superiority are set aside.

In the final paragraph, the tone turns more reflective and cautionary. The ambassador’s gesture is contrasted with a world increasingly marked by narrow nationalism and inward-looking attitudes. The imagery of a “fortress mentality” and “arrowslit” is striking, suggesting limited vision and fear of difference. The editorial closes by portraying the ambassador’s act as a quiet but meaningful call to widen perspectives and embrace diversity, showing that openness does not weaken identity but enriches it.

Overall, the language is elegant and metaphor-rich, using a light anecdote to convey a serious message about empathy, diplomacy, and cultural respect in global affairs.

Important Vocabulary (5)

1. Wanderlust – a strong desire to travel and explore the world.
2. Dispersed – spread out or distributed over an area.
3. Virality – the tendency of content to spread rapidly on social media.
4. Provincialism – a narrow or limited outlook, especially hostility toward outsiders.
5. Aperture – an opening; metaphorically, a widening of perspective or vision.

Conclusion & Tone

The editorial argues that genuine cultural respect and diplomacy are often expressed through simple, sincere gestures rather than grand statements. By appreciating difference without condescension, nations — and individuals — can build deeper connections.

Tone: Reflective, appreciative, and gently persuasive, with a calm critique of cultural arrogance and a hopeful call for openness.