The Netherlands-Japan Association’s New Year luncheon, held annually at the sumptuous Hotel Okura in Amsterdam, welcomed over 100 Dutch and Japanese members this year. Guest of honour was Ambassador Masaru Tsuji who announced his upcoming departure from the Netherlands.  In his speech, he praised the association for bringing the Dutch and Japanese together and urged all to keep up the good work.  After a toast to the New Year and to the health and prosperity of all, lunch consisting of beautifully presented and tantalizing Bento Boxes, was served. (A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container made of lacquerware).

Hotel Okura boasts a magnificent Japanese Garden, and seeing renovation work had only been completed a few days before, Ambassador Tsuji and General Manager Emmy Stoel, together with Landscape Architect Herman Spijkers, made their way to the garden for a tour.  It was a perfect setting and the perfect end to a lovely Japanese-Dutch encounter.