Japanese Entrepreneur Shares 3 Life-Changing Lessons After A Year In India; Post Goes Viral

Naotaka Nishiyama, the Japanese entrepreneur and founder of Tech Japan, recently shared a heartfelt post on LinkedIn, reflecting on his transformative journey since relocating to Bengaluru a year ago

Adding a touch of humor, he recounted how people often assumed he worked for a major Japanese corporation

Source : LinkedIn

Naotaka Nishiyama, a Japanese entrepreneur and founder of Tech Japan, recently posted a heartfelt note on LinkedIn, reflecting on his transformative journey since moving to Bengaluru, India, a year ago. In his post, he shared insights into the lessons he’s learned, the challenges he’s encountered, and the cultural shifts that have reshaped his views on entrepreneurship, diversity, and personal growth.

"Exactly one year ago, I landed in India with just a suitcase—and a dream. On March 25, 2024, I left Tokyo International Airport in Japan. In the early hours of March 26, I landed in Bangalore. As I stepped out of the airport pulling my suitcase, I found myself standing in a completely new world," Nishiyama wrote.

However, his journey was not without its challenges. He noted that as a Japanese startup founder in India, he stood out as something of a rarity.

"There aren't many Japanese people in India to begin with, and most of those living here are corporate expats from the automotive, electronics, or banking industries," he explained.

Adding a touch of humor, he recounted how people often assumed he worked for a major Japanese corporation.

Naotaka Nishiyama, the Japanese entrepreneur and founder of Tech Japan, recently shared a heartfelt post on LinkedIn, reflecting on his transformative journey since relocating to Bengaluru, India, a year ago. In his post, he candidly discussed the challenges he faced, the lessons he learned, and the cultural shifts that reshaped his views on entrepreneurship, diversity, and personal growth.

Nishiyama noted that his journey was filled with unique challenges, particularly as a Japanese startup founder in India—a rarity in itself.

"When I meet someone for the first time, I'm often asked, Toyota? Suzuki? I smile and reply, no, I run a company called Talendy. Then comes that look of ‘What's that?’” he wrote, adding a humorous touch to his experience.

Over the past year, Nishiyama gained invaluable insights that transformed both his business approach and personal mindset. He outlined three key lessons India had taught him: first, the power to move forward in complexity, second, the mindset to embrace unpredictability, and how to build trust in diversity.

Stability And Change

He reflected on how his perspective on stability and change had evolved significantly.

"Something inside me has definitely shifted this year. Instead of 'challenging myself within stability,' I've learned to 'create value within change.' And that mindset has now become a part of me," he wrote.  

Nishiyama also expressed his optimism for the future, inspired by the ambition and energy of India’s younger generation. "Of course, I'm still learning… But the people I've met in India—especially the incredible energy and ambition of the younger generation—keep me moving forward with the belief that we can create the future together,” he added.

Netizen's Reaction

Since posting, Nishiyama’s message has resonated widely, garnering over 7,000 reactions and more than 400 comments on LinkedIn. Many users connected with his reflections on India’s complexity and vibrancy.

“My German friend didn't want to go back. He liked the chaos and disorder. And South Indian food - Dosa, idly and Sambhar in particular,” wrote one of the internet users.

A second user added, “Very well summarized, 'perfect is the enemy of progress' and 'things rarely goes as planned' 'improvisation skills', I think many of these phrases are unheard of in Japan, but in India we are used to these things and in spite of it, we come out successful. I think, we both have a lot to learn from each other, and that openess of your is making your experience here very rich. Thank you.”