‘Kichijoji’, a town near Tokyo in Japan, was named after Hindu goddess Lakshmi, consort of Hindu god Vishnu.
Takayuki Kitagawa, Consul General of Japan said, “You will be surprised to know that the town near Tokyo has its origin from Lakshmi temple. Kichijoji means Lakshmi temple in Japanese.”
Kitagawa said that people usually believe that the culture of Japan and India are different, but that is not the case as many temples in Japan are dedicated to Hindu Gods.
“There are many more Hindu gods who are revered in the Land of the Rising Sun. For ages, we have been praying to Hindu gods,” said the diplomat, who began his delightful speech in Kannada, leaving the audience spellbound.
The Consul General also noted that the Japanese language has many words taken from Sanskrit which again it indicates that both cultures had deep connections in past. “For instance, Japanese dish sushi is made of rice and vinegar. Sushi is also associated with shari, which is from Sanskrit word ‘zaali’, meaning rice,” the Consul added.
Ref:Economic Times, Indian Times
