After returning to Singapore after my Japan Exchange Teaching stint, I joined the Japan Exchange Teacjing Alumni Association and volunteered my services as a way of paying it forward. I wanted to provide useful information to future applicants who might be intrigued by the idea of working in Japan. Little did I expect that being in the executive committee itself would grant me access to some perks.

One of the aforementioned perks was going out for fancy commemoration dinners with Japanese CLAIR staff stationed in Singapore. I don’t remember the exact occasion but I vaguely recall that some big shot from Tokyo wanted to meet us to acknowledge our efforts. Now, the Japanese don’t do things by halves, but what I had expected as a routine dinner turned out to be a dinner to remember. Just look at the amount of care paid into the playing of the details. Just look at how the dishes were painstakingly prepared so that each dish not only whetted my appetite, but also seemed to convey some dignified narrative. The devil is in the details, so the Japanese’s artistry and commitment to their craft elevated this dinner: