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This is Nakamichi Nobuhiro-san, an okonomiyaki chef in Hiroshima. My friends and I went out to eat for both of the nights we were in Hiroshima because of his incredible personality and great food. The first night we came with a group of about 15 people, so the interaction wasn’t as personal, but for the second we went as a group of 6 and were able to talk a lot more. Nakamichi-san spoke some English, which helped myself and some of the people in our group who spoke no Japanese. Much of our conversation consisted of everyone practicing Japanese and Nakamichi-san practicing his English. He asked us why we were in Japan, how we were liking it, where we were going, what we were doing, and why we chose Japan. The funniest exchange was when one our group members gave Nakamichi-san an omiyage (souvenir) of Starbursts. He had one immediately and proceeded to say “yummy” repeatedly while contorting his face and trying his best to swallow it. Japanese culture is based around respect and it would have been rude if he rejected the gift or spit it out, so instead he just remarked on how sweet it was. Our second meal probably lasted about two hours and ended with us telling him we’ll be back in a year and he said he’ll remember us “maybe.” Perhaps one of the best dinners and exchange I have ever had and would absolutely love to go back with improved language skills to catch up with him and have more incredible food.
