The combined KIT/KTC year-end party for 2009 was last week and we have pictures of the dinner part of it. We apparently went to one of the most upscale ryokan (hot spring hotels) in Japan this year, but I'm not sure I detected much difference, though the actual hot springs part of it was definitely bigger and fancier. I've been in nicer hotels in the States as far as overall luxury goes. Everyone kept talking about how the Emperor's family stayed there once, and there was a framed display in the lobby showing stuff the Imperial family used (teacups, etc) during their stay.
Dinner was in a smaller hall this year, putting the whole staff together in one block, with the bar and other high-traffic areas off to one side. We sat on cushions on the floor again, with the low tables. This is not very comfortable over the long term, and almost nobody can sit in the traditional Japanese fashion, including the Japanese, kneeling with the weight on their heels, as it causes significant pain unless you've been trained to it over time. Thus, we put our legs to the side in an incorrect but more comfortable posture.
This is the decorative paper cover for your dinner tray, to keep you from starting until after the speeches are given and the toast officially begins things. Sarah from KTC being the newest teacher, she gave the toast this year and used a heck of a lot more Japanese than we did on our turn, but then she'd already lived for Japan for two years before joining us.
This is what you find underneath the paper wrapper. On the left are crab legs with lemon (delicious) and I think uzu sauce. The small brown bowl in the center is raw fish with roe (not bad at all). The blue checkerboard square dish is sea cucumber, which neither of us ate this year because it is disgusting. On the red tray is a giant snail (actually tasty) some shrimp which always taste off to me, and I think in the yellow bowl was probably whale sperm (not kidding, they've served it to us before) which we did not partake of now that we know what it is. The small glass with white liquid is plum wine, used for the inital toast.
Sashimi tray containing squid slivers (used to it but not amazing), shrimp (tasted off as usual), tuna (wonderful), and some oily fish I don't know the name of that was quite enjoyable. You'll notice the sea urchin there too, I tried that for the first time at this party and have mixed feelings - the flavor was incredible but too powerful alone. Would make a wonderful chowder or bisque base ingredient, tastes powerfully oceanic and creamy but overwhelmed me in spoonful format.
Next up, fish / clear broth soup, very mild and kind of boring.
Delicious beef and onions, cooked on your plate, unfortunately only about 2oz worth. Would have liked another 6-10oz of additional beef. Not likely to happen at a traditional style dinner.
This enormous mollusk started the dinner alive - we took our papers off and had a look under the covers of the yet-to-be-cooked parts of dinner and some people's clams tried to escape. Definitely the biggest and meatiest single-shell mollusk I've ever had, and not bad at all once thoroughly killed and cooked. Took me several minutes to cut free of the shell for further slicing.
Once dinner really got going people got up and migrated around the room pouring drinks for each other and we didn't take any more pictures, though there were a few more courses and a buffet board with additional morsels if people wanted a salad or something. The selection of booze was a step down from last year - they ran out of wine and wine glasses before I made it to the bar and the whiskey was decidely low end, below last year's mark of decent. The sake wasn't bad though, or else I'm getting more used to it. The desserts were good but vanished instantly - I suspect some people who wanted some didn't get any but Ana and I had three each (that's how many fit on one dessert plate, you're supposed to take more than one) so it could have been worse. Overall, not bad for a traditional Japanese dinner but the extras were deficient.
They had traditional Taiwainese singers / dancers for entertainment, and then, same as last year, a mariachi band of all things. I could have done without the Taiwanese dancers, the sound was not pleasant to my ears I would rather not have had to conduct my conversations over them.
After the professional entertainers, they set up karaoke on the stage and let people go at it. This part of the evening was dominated by foreigners singing in both Japanese and English, most of them quite well. Ana and I did not feel the need to sing at that time.
Overall, having done this all before, it seemed a lot less intimidating and difficult, and was pleasant enough. Given that this party probably cost us $1000+ in faculty fees, I would pass on it at that price in the future, but we don't get anything back if we don't go so you'll see onsen pics 2010 next year at this time. Maybe next time we can take video of pulling the paper off the tray to capture the full drama of dinner trying to escape and the attendant having to put the cover back on to keep it contained.
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