SAI’s ‘Little Japan’ facility in Bengaluru prepares athletes for Asian Games with Japanese-themed accommodation and cuisine

Inside SAI’s ‘Little Japan’ (TOI Photo)

BENGALURU: Shipping containers with exteriors painted with cherry blossoms and chochins — traditional Japanese lanterns -- hung on the sides have been transformed into two-bedroom accommodation. Inside are modern amenities, an LED screen displaying information about the Asian Games and Japanese books such as Ikigai and Kaizen. The menu features ramen, an assortment of sushi, tempura and yakitori. This could easily be Japan. It isn’t, yet. It is the Sports Authority of India (SAI) South Centre in Bengaluru. To help Asian Games-bound athletes acclimatise to the culture, living conditions, and food they will encounter in Japan, SAI has created a slice of the country at its South Centre and the facility in Patiala. Athletes from several disciplines have already utilised the facilities, with team-sport athletes expected to be accommodated in the containers. The containers, built at a cost of around Rs 20 lakh, resulted from an idea conceived earlier this year. “We planned to do this in January, but due to various factors, we could not get them ready. The containers have been operational for a week now, and the volleyball team were one of the first to experience it,” Vishnu Sudhakaran, regional director of the SAI South Centre, told TOI. Each container can accommodate four athletes and was completed in 45 days. Besides overnight stays, the facility has also been used during the day by track and field athletes and the women’s hockey team. And this is not a temporary arrangement. The structure has been designed for permanent use. “Our athletes spend a lot of time away from home and often more than two family members visit them for short durations. We will use this facility as a transit accommodation for visiting families of athletes,” Sudhakaran said.

TASTE OF JAPAN

The effort to recreate a Japanese experience has extended to the cafeteria. While continental food was introduced last year to help athletes travelling to Europe acclimatise to the cuisine, Japanese dishes were gradually added to the menu from January this year.

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Chefs at the SAI Centre underwent specialised training in Japanese cuisine under chef Vaibhav Soni of Snowy Foods. “First, the athletes and the chefs were introduced to Japanese culture, such as what and why they eat a particular kind of food, the ingredients they use and what they prefer during breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Soni explained. “The chefs were then taken through the theoretical process followed by the practical knowledge of it. They were then trained in the preparation of various kinds of ramen, sushi, robatayaki, tempura, etc,” he added. Soni has been making regular visits to the centre to oversee the process and ensure the cuisine is prepared as intended. For Indian women’s hockey team striker Lalremsiami, the experience has offered athletes more than just a taste of Japan. “Some of us are used to eating sushi, but for a lot of the athletes it was their first taste of Japanese food. Since we have been experiencing the cuisine for a while now, we know what ingredients go into a particular dish and what to expect on our plate. The containers have given us an experience of what to expect in terms of accommodation,” said the youngster. The idea, according to Sudhakaran, is simple – make Japan feel a little less foreign before the athletes get there.

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