Imphal, November 27: For Japanese language teacher Saiji Makino, Manipur remains his dreamland even after more than ten years' stay.

The acute financial crisis, grave law and order situation and the numerous killings have failed to distort the 77 year old Japanese' initial view of his dream State.

Makino who has enjoyed a good part of his life in rural India said with aplomb that he has gained a good knowledge of the food habit, culture, life-style and tradition of Manipur during his decade long stay.

"Several Manipuri food items including Hawaichar (made of fermented soyabean) arid Ushoi (bamboo shoot) are eaten plenty in Japan.

The traditional Manipuri huts and fencings also bear resemblance with those of Japanese, he said.

Makino, who has been teaching Japanese language in Manipur University's Centre for Development Studies since 1990 suddenly became nostalgic and said, "I always remember my native Japan on seeing the mountain ranges, rivers, landscapes, the people and their tradition here.

So I take Manipur as the second Japan".

Landed first in Maharashtra in 1958, Makino has been enjoying the Gandhian way of life and the life-style of rural India for most part of his life.

He said Manipuri students could grasp Japanese with ease.

More than 100 students have learned the language from him till date.

Ironically, the soft spoken thinly built man is still raked by the tragic defeat of Japanese troops in Imphal during World War II.

He remembered that around 45,000 Japanese troops died in Manipur due to lack of food, weapon and outbreak of certain epidemics.

"The Japanese played their last card.

Had they succeeded, they would have liberated Imphal".

With a heavy heart, Makino traveled to and from Imphal to Maibam Lokpa Hills at Nambol for nearly 40 days during the construction of the Japanese War Memorial there.

Till date, he has written two books one in Japanese language and the other in Hindi.

The books are titled Forty Years in India - My Outlook and Recollections and Japani Atma Ke Khoje.

Presently he is engaged in two Japanese language books - Culture and Society in Manipur and Folk Tales of Manipur.

He is awaiting photographs for completion.

About his early life in India, Makino said his first venture was teaching Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences in Gandhi Ashram for two years.

By the late sixties, he had mastered Hindi language at Shantiniketan in West Bengal.

Then he moved to Maharashtra and later Madhya Pradesh where he taught agriculture in a higher secondary school.

Later he stayed at Gwalior and Gujarat State and worked as the interpreter for Japanese nationals who came to India to set up companies.

Before he joined MU, he was teaching Japanese at Shantiniketan from 1974 till 1989.During his stay in the State, Makino, a lover of nature has developed Japanese Gardens at the MU Guest House and Administrative Block.

Currently he is staying with his wife and his only daughter inside the MU campus.

His daughter is also serving here.

On his future, Makino said he will stay in India particularly Manipur till 80 years of age if health permits.

Comment