Did you know that there’s a 19-year-old rickshaw puller in Japan who can fluently recite Kareena Kapoor’s iconic tongue-twister from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, loves dal-bati-churma and masala dosa, and will take you around Tokyo with the biggest smile on her face?
Recently, Bangalore-based content creator Simran Jain shared a video on Instagram, where she happened to come across Hibiki Takeshima, a young rickshaw puller in Japan’s Asakusa district, who is also a huge SRK fan.
When Simran gets on the rickshaw and asks Hibiki what she knows about India, the latter unexpectedly recites the famous tongue-twister from the 2001 Karan Johar-directed film, which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan in lead roles.
The tongue-twister — “Chandu ke chacha ne, chandu ki chachi ko, chandni-chowk mein, chandni raat mein, chaandi ki chammach se, chatni chatai” — was famously uttered by Kareena’s Poo to Hrithik’s Rohan in the film.
In the video, Hibiki is seen offering a blanket to Simran as the weather was cold. She then takes her to the 1,400-year-old Sensoji Temple, a popular tourist spot in Asakusa.
Their next destination was the Asahi Beer Town, a 22-storied, amber-tinted mirror glass skyscraper designed to resemble a glass of beer, complete with a white, foam-topped roof.
While the young adult pulled the rickshaw to various locations, Simran confessed that she is impressed by the discipline and punctuality embodied by the Japanese citizens.
Towards the end of the video, Hibiki revealed her favourite Indian dishes — the Rajasthani staple dal-bati-churma and the south Indian classic masala dosa.
As the video came to an end, Hibiki clicked pictures of Simran and a selfie with her before folding her hands for a “Namaste” and signing off with a “Dhanyavaad”.
Rickshaw pullers (shafu) are seen frequently in Japan’s historic areas like Asakusa (Tokyo), Kyoto, and Kamakura, primarily as a popular tourist attraction and cultural experience. These professionals pull tourists on guided, leisurely tours of scenic spots, acting as knowledgeable guides rather than everyday public transport.