Nikhil Kun: Indian Influencer in Japan Redefining Cultural Boundaries
If you search my name online today, you will find Indian newspapers, Japanese magazines, embassy posts, TV interviews, viral videos, and global creators talking about one thing.
An Indian influencer in Japan who did something different.
But this journey did not start with cameras, followers, or recognition.
It started in a lower-middle-class home in Delhi, with no clear plan for the future. Just curiosity. And a deep desire to understand Japan, its language, and its culture.
My name is Nikhil Kun (ニキルくん). I am an Indian content creator, Japanese language specialist, and marketing professional based in Japan. Over the years, I have become known for building a cultural bridge between India and Japan through language mastery, mainstream media presence, and content that reaches millions across borders.
This is not a story of overnight success. This is a story of discipline, self-study, rejection, persistence, and belief.
Growing Up in Delhi: A Very Normal Beginning
I was born and raised in Delhi in a lower-middle-class household. I studied in a government school, chose humanities, and did bachelors of arts from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Delhi University.
There was no international exposure around me. No foreign education. No elite background. What I did have was curiosity. I wanted to understand the world beyond what I could see.
That curiosity found direction when I was 18.
The Movie That Changed My Life: Kimi no Na Wa
At 18, I watched the Japanese animated movie Kimi no Na Wa (Your Name). Because my brother who told me to watch it.
Everything Changed After That!!!!!
It was not just a film for me. The language, emotions, landscapes, and cultural depth hit me deeply. I remember thinking:
Kimi no nawa
I do not want subtitles. I want to understand Japan in its own language.
That single moment changed everything.
Years later, I worked for this movie to release in INDIA!! I did censorship of this movie With Indian Censor Board, Japanese news agency Jiji Press
https://sp.m.jiji.com/english/show/22915
Learning Japanese Alone During COVID
I learned Japanese completely through self-study.
No language school No expensive coaching No overseas education
During the COVID pandemic, while the world slowed down, my routine became intense. Locked inside a small room in Delhi, I studied 8 to 10 hours every day. Kanji. Grammar. Listening. Speaking. Reading.
And to check & Improve my skills I also used to make Japanese Teaching Youtube Videos only in Japanese Language.
The results came through the JLPT.
I Even Got 180/180 In JLPT Exams.
These scores were not luck or talent. They were the result of consistency and obsession with improvement.
Winning the All-India Japanese Speech Contest
One of my earliest national recognitions came when I won the All-India Japanese Speech Contest, officially supported by the Japan Embassy in India.
This achievement led to features in India-Japan magazines, recognition by the embassy, and coverage in publications like CHALO 日刊新聞雑誌.
Japan Embassy official post https://www.facebook.com/share/kJfSKUDiaVmeyqYC/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Learning Japanese Alone During COVID
Because of Covid, I learned Japanese through self-study.
No language school. No expensive coaching. No overseas education.
During the COVID pandemic, while the world slowed down, my routine became extreme. Locked inside a small room in Delhi, I studied Japanese for 8 to 10 hours every day. Kanji, grammar, listening, reading, and speaking became my daily life.
The biggest challenge was speaking.I had no one to talk to in Japanese. No friends. No teachers. So I started talking to myself and even to my cat.
I would ask my mom, 「今日のご飯は何？」 (What’s for dinner today?)
I would look at my cat and say, 「お前、一日中ゴロゴロばっかりしてんな。」 (You’re just lying around all day, aren’t you?)
Neither my mom nor my cat understood a single word of Japanese, but I kept speaking anyway.
Saying 「ただいま」 (I’m home) every time I returned became a habit, even in India. I used chopsticks, took baths at night, and copied daily Japanese routines. People laughed, but I didn’t care. I wanted to live like a Japanese person before reaching Japan.
To improve faster, I also taught Japanese to students online for free. Teaching forced me to think, speak, and explain everything in Japanese.
That discipline reflected in my JLPT results.
JLPT N4: 180/180
JLPT N3:180/174
JLPT N2: 180/180
JLPT N1: Achieved later, the highest level
These scores were not luck or talent. They were the result of consistency and obsession with impro
Working With RADWIMPS and Kimi no Na Wa in India
Before I even moved to Japan, I had already started working on high-impact Japan-India cultural projects.
One of them was my collaboration related to RADWIMPS and Kimi no Na Wa, connected to India’s censorship and release process for a 20-year-old Indian, this was extremely rare.
RADWIMPS collaboration>>> Check Out
Japanese media described this as a young Indian working closely with Japanese cultural projects.
🛫 Moving to Japan & Professional Career
I moved to Japan at the age of 20.
No family support system. New country. New rules. Real responsibility.
I started as a Sales Executive in Tokyo and later got promoted to Sales and Marketing Manager.
How did I get this opportunity to work in Japan?
So I used to post every freelance work I have did delete on LinkedIn and I always used to post my all achievements and Japanese studying tips on LinkedIn.
I have made a big connection and community on LinkedIn with recruiters in Japan and in Indo Japanese language learners community!
After gaining a lot of connections from Japan! I got scouted for a company in Tokyo even though I was a fresher. I did not have any experience except freelance but I got that opportunity because of my Japanese language skills the way I have made my resume was same as Japanese person make. That also highlighted me and in one interview I got selected for Tokyo sales executive position.
My Japanese and English bilingual skills allowed me to handle international clients independently.This journey was documented by Indian national media.
🔗Free Press Journal feature: Check here
📺 Japanese Television & News Coverage
After moving to Japan, mainstream Japanese media began featuring Me not as a tourist, but as a working Indian professional integrated into Japanese society.
Nikhil Kun appeared on:
- Asahi News
- Jiji Press
- ZIP! (Nippon TV)
📱 Content Creation & Global Reach
Alongside his professional career, Nikhil Kun began creating content focused on:
- Life in Japan
- Cultural differences (India vs Japan)
- Language learning
- Social rules, discipline, and everyday realities
Nikhil Kun content resonated widely.
Today, his reach includes:
- 800K+ followers across social platforms
- 100M+ monthly views
- A fast-growing audience in India, Japan, and global
📰 Indian National Media Coverage (Major Outlets)
My content and opinions have been featured by leading Indian media houses:
📰 NDTV
📰 Economic Times
📰 News18
Hindustan Times
🇯🇵 Japanese Blogs & Interviews
One of the most detailed Japanese interviews about Nikhil was published by Bharat Hub:
Titled:【インタビュー】インド出身人気インフルエンサー・Nikhilくんに日本とインドについて聞いてみた
The article discusses:
- His Japanese learning journey
- Cultural differences
- Life challenges in Japan
- Love for Kansai dialect
- Indian family values
- Working life in Japan
🎥 Major Japanese YouTube Collaborations
Nikhil has appeared on major Japan-focused YouTube channels:
ニック兄さん
MrFuji from Japan
マイティー・ポー【中国人アル】
Unpacking Japan
What I Believe Today
I strongly believe that language, discipline, time management, and cultural respect matter more than degrees alone.
My message to Indians and to every foreigner who want to work abroad is simple.
Learn the language. Respect the culture. Be disciplined. Results will follow.
Today, as an Indian influencer in Japan, I continue to work professionally while creating content that connects two cultures, breaks stereotypes, and shows reality as it is.
This journey started in a small room in India / Delhi. And it is still continuing.
By Nikhil Kun
