Ammikkal, a Private Indian Restaurant in Hamamatsu Catering to Inbound and Foreign Talent with Religious and Cultural Dietary Considerations, Opens in May 2026
Ammikkal, a private Indian restaurant in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, will open in May 2026, focusing on the increasing number of Indian tourists and foreign talent employment. It will offer personalized dining experiences that accommodate diverse dietary needs, including vegetarian (pure vegetarian without onion/garlic, lacto-vegetarian), vegan, halal, and Jain (root vegetable-free vegetarian).
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 20:32
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Ammikkal (Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Representative: Eri Suganuma) will begin operations in May 2026 as a private Indian restaurant, limited to one group per day, focusing on the increasing number of Indian tourists and the employment of Indian talent by companies, and responding to the diversity of local food. Through careful prior consultation, it is possible to adjust food policies to accommodate religious and cultural considerations, such as vegetarian (including pure vegetarian without onion/garlic and lacto-vegetarian), vegan, halal, and Jain (Jain vegetarian food without root vegetables), which are still rarely offered in Japan. The course meals, inspired by owner-chef Suganuma's many years of experience deepening her understanding of Indian culture, food customs, and Ayurveda across various regions of India, feature uniquely blended spices and a rich variety of home cooking, yoga ashrams, Ayurvedic hospitals, street food, diners, and hotel meals from different regions.
Enjoy South Indian vegetarian street food course meals in a relaxed setting.
Increasing Indian inbound tourists and highly skilled talent employment, and their challenges.
In recent years, with the increase in foreign visitors and workers, there is a growing demand to cater to diverse food cultures. According to the latest statistics from JINTO (Japan National Tourism Organization), the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan exceeded 300,000 for the first time in history in 2025, showing an increase of approximately 80% compared to 2019, boasting a high growth rate along with purchasing power. In Hamamatsu City, the number of foreign visitors is also generally on an upward trend (Figure 1). Furthermore, in Hamamatsu City's industrial sector, which has many manufacturing industries, there is growing interest in employing highly skilled Indian talent to address the shortage of personnel (Figure 2). To retain talent, it is said that considerations such as "preventing isolation due to communication and cultural barriers" and "supporting daily life" are important.
Indian vegetarians have widely varying dietary habits depending on religion, region, and personal preference. Even among vegetarians, specialized knowledge is required regarding the permissibility of dairy products, prohibition of root vegetables, exclusion of specific ingredients, and regional differences in spices and seasonings. The tourism industry and companies employing foreigners often struggle to respond to these needs. This service, which can flexibly respond to these needs, is expected to contribute to improving service satisfaction by allowing people with all kinds of dietary policies to share the same table, not only for inbound tourists but also for business entertainment of visiting clients and internal company dinners.
Figure 1: Trends in the number of foreign visitors to Japan and foreign overnight guests in Hamamatsu City (quoted from Hamamatsu City Urban Planning Master Plan) Figure 2: Number of Indian nationals residing in Hamamatsu City (quoted from TBS Digital News)
What 100 Indians said: Comforting home cooking they want to eat every day.
Since 2017, our company has explored the daily dietary preferences of over 100 Indian students and highly skilled professionals residing in the city through interviews and home visits in Japan and India.
Indians prefer home cooking, which differs significantly from the Indian restaurant food generally eaten in Japan. Lunch is the main meal, snacks are eaten in the evening, and breakfast and dinner are smaller meals than lunch. Also, staple foods, types of oil and beans, and cooking methods vary by state and region of origin.
In the restaurant business, to provide meals based on religious and cultural considerations, menus are created each time after careful prior consultation regarding origin, vegetarian classification, and other factors.
Future Development
From the perspective of food policy, we also offer consulting for local tourism businesses when accepting Indian guests or for companies employing Indians, menu development, product development, mass cooking that requires strict separation of cooking utensils, catering, and participation in large-scale events. We will continue to undertake various initiatives.
Comment
Ms. Ikumi Mitsui, Representative Director, moca chai Inc. User Comment
In recent years, with the growing demand for inbound tourism, responding to food diversity has become an indispensable factor. However, in regional cities, the options are still insufficient. In such a situation, Ammikkal provides high-quality hospitality dishes based on specialized knowledge and reliable techniques, allowing us to welcome customers with peace of mind.
In fact, our company, which arranges inbound travel, recently asked Ammikkal to handle lunch for a vegan family visiting from Singapore, and they were extremely satisfied. Ammikkal is a very reassuring presence, not only for customers from India but also for vegans and vegetarians from all over the world. We expect them to contribute significantly to improving the food acceptance environment in the region in the future.
Ammikkal Owner-Chef & Service Development Manager Eri Suganuma Comment
For the past 10 years, through exchanges with international students from Shizuoka University's Faculty of Engineering, I have observed that "in daily life and at company dinners..."
Enjoy South Indian vegetarian street food course meals in a relaxed setting.
Increasing Indian inbound tourists and highly skilled talent employment, and their challenges.
In recent years, with the increase in foreign visitors and workers, there is a growing demand to cater to diverse food cultures. According to the latest statistics from JINTO (Japan National Tourism Organization), the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan exceeded 300,000 for the first time in history in 2025, showing an increase of approximately 80% compared to 2019, boasting a high growth rate along with purchasing power. In Hamamatsu City, the number of foreign visitors is also generally on an upward trend (Figure 1). Furthermore, in Hamamatsu City's industrial sector, which has many manufacturing industries, there is growing interest in employing highly skilled Indian talent to address the shortage of personnel (Figure 2). To retain talent, it is said that considerations such as "preventing isolation due to communication and cultural barriers" and "supporting daily life" are important.
Indian vegetarians have widely varying dietary habits depending on religion, region, and personal preference. Even among vegetarians, specialized knowledge is required regarding the permissibility of dairy products, prohibition of root vegetables, exclusion of specific ingredients, and regional differences in spices and seasonings. The tourism industry and companies employing foreigners often struggle to respond to these needs. This service, which can flexibly respond to these needs, is expected to contribute to improving service satisfaction by allowing people with all kinds of dietary policies to share the same table, not only for inbound tourists but also for business entertainment of visiting clients and internal company dinners.
Figure 1: Trends in the number of foreign visitors to Japan and foreign overnight guests in Hamamatsu City (quoted from Hamamatsu City Urban Planning Master Plan) Figure 2: Number of Indian nationals residing in Hamamatsu City (quoted from TBS Digital News)
What 100 Indians said: Comforting home cooking they want to eat every day.
Since 2017, our company has explored the daily dietary preferences of over 100 Indian students and highly skilled professionals residing in the city through interviews and home visits in Japan and India.
Indians prefer home cooking, which differs significantly from the Indian restaurant food generally eaten in Japan. Lunch is the main meal, snacks are eaten in the evening, and breakfast and dinner are smaller meals than lunch. Also, staple foods, types of oil and beans, and cooking methods vary by state and region of origin.
In the restaurant business, to provide meals based on religious and cultural considerations, menus are created each time after careful prior consultation regarding origin, vegetarian classification, and other factors.
Future Development
From the perspective of food policy, we also offer consulting for local tourism businesses when accepting Indian guests or for companies employing Indians, menu development, product development, mass cooking that requires strict separation of cooking utensils, catering, and participation in large-scale events. We will continue to undertake various initiatives.
Comment
Ms. Ikumi Mitsui, Representative Director, moca chai Inc. User Comment
In recent years, with the growing demand for inbound tourism, responding to food diversity has become an indispensable factor. However, in regional cities, the options are still insufficient. In such a situation, Ammikkal provides high-quality hospitality dishes based on specialized knowledge and reliable techniques, allowing us to welcome customers with peace of mind.
In fact, our company, which arranges inbound travel, recently asked Ammikkal to handle lunch for a vegan family visiting from Singapore, and they were extremely satisfied. Ammikkal is a very reassuring presence, not only for customers from India but also for vegans and vegetarians from all over the world. We expect them to contribute significantly to improving the food acceptance environment in the region in the future.
Ammikkal Owner-Chef & Service Development Manager Eri Suganuma Comment
For the past 10 years, through exchanges with international students from Shizuoka University's Faculty of Engineering, I have observed that "in daily life and at company dinners..."