Japan’s Ambassador to India, ONO Keiichi, seems to have found one of the best ways to explore the country: through its food. His X feed is slowly turning into a map of regional Indian cuisine, with the ambassador sharing everything from masala dosa and dalma to Andhra thalis and Gujarati snacks.

One of his recent stops was Tamil Nadu House in Delhi, where he tucked into masala dosa with a side of filter coffee. “Wonderful taste of South India!” he wrote, sharing photographs of the meal. It is the kind of Delhi food detour that feels particularly fitting for a diplomat with an appetite for discovering the country beyond its official corridors.

Andhra Pradesh Bhawan appears to be another favourite. In a recent post, Ambassador Keiichi said he was “delighted to return” to the Bhawan, where he brought a special advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan to enjoy an authentic thali with the team. The meal ended with Double Ka Meetha, a rich Hyderabadi dessert that he tried on the team’s recommendation, calling it “sweet and delicious”.

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Earlier this month, he had stopped by Gujarat Bhawan for dhokla and chaas. He has also enjoyed dalma in Odisha, describing the traditional dish as delicious and a wonderful reflection of the state’s rich culinary culture.

Then there is tea. On International Tea Day, Ambassador Keiichi joined an India-Japan Cultural Exchange on Tea at the UN House in New Delhi. Reflecting on masala chai and matcha, he noted that while they differ in taste and cultural spirit, both embody “respect, hospitality, and harmony”, values shared by India and Japan.

Taken together, his posts make for a rather charming food diary. There is something refreshingly un-diplomatic about the way he approaches each meal, less protocol, more curiosity. From Bhawans to traditional dishes, Ambassador Keiichi is tasting his way through India, one regional speciality at a time.