Akihabara at WTC for authentic Japanese cuisine

By Shanika Sriyananda

If you want to book your next important business meeting or a networking session in a convenient place with authentic Japanese buffet for a change, the newly opened Akihabara – the Japanese style café and restaurant at the World Trade Centre (WTC), would be your ideal choice. An array of different Japanese dishes, including famous sushi, healthy herbal drinks, coffee and fresh fruit desserts served by young friendly restaurant staff will make this new restaurant one’s favourite hideout for breakfast and lunch.

Akihabara, according to its owner, will bring the people of the two countries closer through their favourite dishes of Japan. With booming Chinese restaurants in and around Colombo, this Japanese restaurant will become a place to taste unique and different dishes, especially for those many Sri Lankan Japanese food lovers.

It has boardroom facilities for business meetings and gatherings. The money exchange unit attached to the restaurant is open during office hours.

“I want to strengthen the relationship between Sri Lanka and Japan,” the Chairman of Japan Lanka Agriculture Industrial, Research and Training Centre Ltd. clad in a white national suit Hiroshi Morisaki, the owner of the Akihabara said.

Visited four years ago and having a special attachment to Sri Lanka, he said many Japanese people, including him, want to give something back to the country as a tribute to late President J.R. Jayawardena, who helped Japan some decades ago.

“During my first visit, I came to the WTC and I was determined that I wanted to open a restaurant here. We worked hard to make that dream successful although we had faced several practical issues. I am happy as I am able to give Sri Lankans the taste of Japanese food and also building friendships,” he said at the opening of the Akihabara Café and Restaurant.

He told the Daily FT that the country has a stable environment to invest in now. Akihabara has been designed by its young workers under his guidance.

“It took one year and six months to complete but I am happy that the young team at Akihabara learned through trial and error. They are from rural villages of the country and I am able to instil confidence in them to work in a place like WTC,” he explained.

Sri Lanka’s racing ace Dilantha Malagamuwa and the Japanese racing ace Keita Sawa were among the guests at the opening of the Akihabara Restaurant.

“I started my life from Japan and learned a lot from that country. I am happy that I was born in Sri Lanka, my beautiful country with beautiful people and that gave me the confidence to win the races. I got huge support from Japan. I would like to thank Morisaki, my good friend for bringing Japan closer to Sri Lanka through this restaurant,” Malagamuwa said.

Sawa, who was in Sri Lanka for the first time said everything was impressive in Sri Lanka and it was a very safe country for tourists.

“When my friends in Japan came to know that I am visiting Sri Lanka, some cautioned me saying that the country was a dangerous place but I will tell them that it is safe for the Japanese tourists as well as investors to start new businesses,” he said.

Sawa likes Sri Lankan food, country and people but as a racing driver, he is a bit worried about the behaviour of the drivers on Colombo roads. 

“I drove Morisaki’s car and felt the traffic and the driving behaviour in Sri Lanka is totally different from the countries I visited in Asia like Singapore, Malaysia and China. Japanese drivers are more polite but here they are bit aggressive and in a rush,” he said smiling.