Every year there is an annual dinner for DUJAT members. DUJAT stands for Dutch & Japanese Trade Federation (蘭日貿易連盟). Almost every company with a connection with Japan is a member of DUJAT. The most important guests were the ambassador Tsuji and the executive vice president of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Every year, the dinner is held at Okura Hotel in Amsterdam. The restaurant of this five-star hotel has an authentic Japanese kitchen with a Michelin star!
Our Japanese teacher, miss Inoue, has good connections with DUJAT. Since a few years students are asked to help with the front desk.
There are about 180 guests, which is why some help is appreciated very much. This year me and Tomomi were asked to help. Tomomi is a Japanese exchange student and studies International Business and Management at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. She is also my friend, so we were very excited!
We were kindly welcomed by Suzuki-san of DUJAT at Okura Hotel. She explained us what the plan was and we helped with the preparation. When the guests arrived we were very busy registering the names and explain the program. Luckily the guests were very friendly and patient. At the end we gave everyone goody-bags. We finished around 12 am. We helped voluntary but it was a honour and a very good experience. We enjoyed the delicious dinner. At the end there was an ice cream buffet. It was inappropriate to enter the room with guests, but Suzuki-san brought us various ice cream, fresh fruits and chocolates. We were very pampered and everyone was so kind to us. I’m very grateful for this wonderful day.
The theme of the evening was art between the Netherlands and Japan. During the dinner, and some drinks, the guests were diveded in groups for a “paint-in-event”. Every group had to make a painting and show the connection between the Netherlands and Japan. The last photo in my gallery shows the three finalists, and if I remember correctly the Miffy painting won the first prize!
