Japanese graduate secures lead role at local sushi food outlet

Nina Otori is looking forward to sharing many of the Japanese flavours from her home nation with the Huddersfield customers 

A JAPANESE graduate, who travelled thousands of miles from Osaka in Japan to study at the University of Huddersfield, is looking forward to sharing many of the Japanese flavours from her home nation with her customers in Huddersfield, after securing a managerial role with one the region’s first fresh Japanese food outlets. 

Nina Otori graduated from the University of Huddersfield’s Business School with a degree in Travel and Tourism in July 2019 and now manages the Little Lotus Japanese food outlet in Huddersfield’s Kingsgate Shopping Centre. 

The business, which also has stores in Halifax, Bradford and Chelmsford, serves a range of hot and cold Japanese dishes including katsu, ramen and udon noodle, curries and a wide selection of sushi and prides itself on creating healthy recipes made from fresh, authentic ingredients.

Nina's mother Helen met Nina’s father Yoshiyuki after moving to Japan when she was 23 years of age.  They soon married and Nina was brought up in the Japanese city of Osaka, where her parents still reside. 

Nina, now 21 years old, first decided she wanted to travel to the UK and study at the University of Huddersfield after attending an open day whilst visiting her grandparents who lived in the nearby town of Halifax.  

“At the open day I remember feeling like the University was a home away from home,” she said.  “Everyone I met and spoke to was so friendly, I decided straight away that this was where I wanted to come and study as well as to embrace and experience English culture to the fullest.” 

During her time as a student, she became the President of the Japanese Student Society and would often take part in global campus events such as the Global Food and Culture Festival and Global Week.  These as well as many more of the Global Campus Events are an opportunity for overseas and British students to integrate with one another, understand and celebrate cultural representation whilst gaining friendships. 

Under Nina’s leadership the Japanese Student Society won the ‘Best Student Society’ award in 2018, which she explained was a huge accomplishment considering there are over 120 Student Societies at the University. 

“Coming to study at the University of Huddersfield was the best decision I ever made.  My studies allowed me to grow tremendously in confidence and taught me not to let my mistakes set me back.  Instead, learn from them and use those lessons to better yourself.”

Nina Otori

Although Nina’s mother was born and raised in the UK, Nina admits she was by no means bi-lingual and actually struggled with the language when she first started to talk in English as she arrived to embark on her Travel and Tourism degree.

“I was extremely shy at first,” said Nina. “But coming to study at the University of Huddersfield was the best decision I ever made.  My studies allowed me to grow tremendously in confidence and taught me not to let my mistakes set me back.  Instead, learn from them and use those lessons to better yourself. 

“My degree conveyed everything I needed and more, in order for me to expand my professional skillset and to instantly become employed after graduating,” she added. 

Nina now looks forward to the future with high hopes of one day, owning her own restaurant and she has some valuable advice to offer students from overseas who are currently deciding if they should come and study in the UK. 

“It’s probably one of the biggest decisions you have ever had to make but take my advice and just do it,” said Nina. 

“One of my biggest anxieties was the language barrier but I needn’t have worried. Your language skills quickly improve once you begin to absorb British culture and start to communicate daily with students from overseas and the UK, as well as talking to people from the local community.”