In a short clip that quickly went viral, Japan’s Ambassador to India, ONO Keiichi, is seen being shown by a local friend how to eat biryani with his hands. He carefully followed the method and later remarked, “I tried eating biryani by hand, just like my Indian friends. Like sushi, it tastes even better this way.” He added that the experience made him feel “a little closer” to his friends and even wrote “చాలా బాగుంది” (very good) in Telugu.
The video drew warm reactions online. One user noted that it wasn’t the act of eating by hand, but the ambassador’s warmth and openness that truly brought people closer. Others commented that food tastes better when eaten by hand, praised him for embracing Indian culture, and admired how gracefully he connected with a different tradition. Another commenter even applauded his technique, jokingly offering tips on keeping the mess minimal.
This wasn’t ONO’s first brush with biryani. During a visit to Telangana last year, he had shared a photo of himself enjoying authentic Hyderabadi biryani with a spoon and fork, describing it as “truly addictive.”
