Japanese expat enjoys exploring KL entertainment scene

Before being posted to Malaysia, Panasonic (M) Sdn Bhd deputy managing director Chris Tomachi was based in New Jersey, US, and enjoyed the vibrant Broadway shows and jazz performances in New York.

Having lived in Kuala Lumpur for over a year, the 54-year-old Japanese expatriate has discovered the many venues in the city where he could still enjoy these shows.

“When I am not working, I relax by having a meal or a few drinks with friends at jazz bars. I have been to places like No Black Tie and I really enjoy it.

“I’ve also watched concerts at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall and I recently watched the Magical Musical in Sunway Lagoon,” said the soft-spoken Tomachi.

A cup of joe: Tomachi loves spending his weekends enjoying a cup of coffee or lunch with friends at one of the many food outlets in Mont Kiara

True to the Japanese culture of company loyalty, Tomachi has been with Panasonic for over 30 years, the only company he has worked for.

“The company is so big that each time I change departments or I move to another country, it almost feels like I have changed jobs,” he said with a laugh.

Before his four years in the US, Tomachi had spent eight years in Germany with his wife and three sons.

“I was transferred back to Japan and my children had to re-adapt to Japanese culture because they grew up in Europe. They did not eat sushi and they couldn’t even use chopsticks. That’s why I decided that they should continue staying in Japan when I moved to the US so that they could have a more stable life,” he said.

The very first thing he himself had to adapt to when he arrived in Malaysia was the weather.

“It is so much warmer and more humid here compared with Germany or Japan. Even New Jersey was very cold in the winter. I used to play golf quite often but I’ve given up trying to play in Malaysia because it’s just too hot,” he said.

While he loves the variety of food that he can find in Malaysia, he is still trying to adjust his taste buds to the spicy food.

He admitted that his cooking skills were limited to defrosting and reheating food in the microwave.

Can’t stand the heat: Tomachi has given up playing golf in Malaysia because he finds the weather here too hot

“I would just go out for a nice meal with my friends. I like Western food and it is so easy to find Italian, French or German food here, especially in the Mont Kiara area where I live. Even Japanese food is so easily available,” he said.

“What I miss most is my family, so it is important for me to keep a circle of friends for company,” he added.

“In the US, I enrolled myself for a part-time course in a university and I met a lot of people there whom I ended up being friends with. They didn’t know where I was working or my position in the company so things were very casual. In Malaysia, I meet other Japanese expats and also try to get to know the people around my neighbourhood,” he said.

When this writer met up with Tomachi at one of the restaurants in Mont Kiara on a Sunday afternoon, he was clad in a New York Yankees jersey and baseball cap, looking like the typical baseball fan.

He said that he used to attend games every week in New York, not particularly because he wanted to but because he had to.

“Panasonic was one of the sponsors of the stadium and we had a corporate box there so I had to be at every game,” he said.

Knowing that Malaysians are not overly excited about baseball, he was surprised that he has been able to catch the games on television here and he still watches it every week.

Tomachi said that he has been enjoying his stay in Malaysia and hopes to see more of the country when he gets the time.

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