Opening a Syrian restaurant in Japan was a dream come true for Nazem Jamal Alddin, a 55-year-old Syrian chef who fled from the war-torn city of Damascus three years ago. And it wouldn't have been possible without the help of a Japanese tech firm CEO around half his age who, by chance, had become an avid fan of the cuisine.
On a windy morning on Sept. 4, the pop-up Syrian restaurant Nazem opened in Tokyo's upscale Kitaaoyama district for nine weekdays, drawing hundreds of customers, many of whom were not just attracted to the food but also the hope of supporting refugees in some way.
All the expenses for operating the restaurant were raised through a crowdfunding initiative launched by 25-year-old Tomoki Morikawa, the head of web design and consultancy company Tech Mess Life Inc. In just eight days, Morikawa succeeded in collecting ¥926,000, far more than the initial target.