Refined

Can you guess what this is?

It is a bottle of soy sauce!

I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant tonight. Although it was a bit pricey, the quality of the food was very good. I enjoyed the chawanmushi (steamed egg custard - a dish, not a dessert) the most. It rained very heavily, so the warm egg custard and the green tea served with dinner alleviated the coldness the weather instilled in me.

I love the refinement and sophistication with which items are crafted in Japan, especially with regards to ceramics. Even a bottle meant to hold soy sauce is not carelessly constructed, demonstrating the discipline of seeking perfection, practiced by craftsmen that have the highest respect for the products they create.