Japan confers honour to Dharshan Munidasa

Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka – Mr. Mizukoshi Hideaki yesterday (Jan. 30) conferred “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” on Mr. Dharshan Munidasa, CEO and owner of the restaurant “Nihonbashi”, in recognition of his distinguished contribution to promoting Japanese cuisine in Sri Lanka.

Since the establishment of his renowned Japanese restaurant “Nihonbashi” in 1995, Mr. Dharshan Munidasa has been a trailblazer in introducing the intricacies of Japanese gastronomy to the Sri Lankan palate. Through his dedication to sourcing the highest quality Japanese ingredients and his commitment to upholding traditional Japanese culinary techniques, Mr. Munidasa has elevated the dining experience for patrons, furthering the cultural exchange between Japan and Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Mizukoshi commended Mr. Munidasa not only for managing a Japanese restaurant but also for his longstanding contributions to the understanding, promotion, and dissemination of Japanese cuisine and culture, including “washoku,” recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, both within and outside Sri Lanka. Additionally, as part of recent initiatives, Ambassador Mizukoshi highlighted Mr. Munidasa’s efforts in serving traditional home-cooked Japanese dishes at the Bon Odori festival, a cultural event of Japan held in Maharagama two years in a row, providing many Sri Lankan festival-goers with an opportunity to experience Japanese cuisine.

“The Order of the Rising Sun” is awarded by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan to foreign nationals who have made distinguished contributions to enhancing friendly relations with Japan and it is hoped that this auspicious event would further develop the bilateral relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka.