Konnichiwa!

The first half of 2023 has passed by in a blink of an eye, and sadly, I have to say goodbye to Singapore very soon. I have successfully completed my term at JCC, and will return to Japan to continue fulfilling my duties. The past three years have truly been eventful and meaningful. When I first arrived in Singapore, we were in the middle of the pandemic, and JCC’s activities were limited, as we had to work from home. Fortunately, we overcame the challenge and eventually returned to how things were before, where we could offer JCC’s events physically and on a regular basis.

As some of you may remember, I am a weekend cyclist. Watching the sunrise from the Marina Barrage bridge and eating kaya toast at a café around the East Coast was my weekend morning routine. Beautiful beaches, flowers and trees, people enjoying camping and tai chi. Such peace and tranquillity made me love Singapore even more.

I am grateful that I can personally witness everyone’s love for Japan and Japanese culture, and that my time here ended on a positive note. This is thanks to the strong support that I received throughout the three years here, and I sincerely hope that everyone can continue to offer the same support to my successor. I also hope that our Friends of JCC can continue to take a keen interest in Japan and Japanese culture, and enjoy JCC’s events.

Last month, we took the opportunity to touch up certain areas of JCC’s building. Thus, we held a furoshiki workshop at Hillview Community Centre instead. Incidentally, it was the June holidays, so it was a perfect time for parents and children to enjoy the activity together. JCC has many more events planned for the rest of 2023. To stay up-to-date, please follow us on our Facebook and Instagram! You may also follow the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on their Facebook page for the latest news and updates from Japan.

Once again, thank you to everyone for the wonderful memories in Singapore. I am certain that the friendship between our two countries will further strengthen, and if there is any chance, I look forward to seeing you again in Japan or Singapore! I shall miss durian very much too!

Toru Furugori
Director, Japan Creative Centre (JCC)
Embassy of Japan in Singapore
5th July 2023