I arrived at Centrair Airport at noon after returning to Japan. I had to go to the university to submit some documents in person 🧳—it felt like going to the tax office for filing tax returns 🧾. But I’m relieved that it’s finally done 😅.
After finishing work, I treated myself to dinner at Sushiro, enjoying one of Japan’s unique privileges 🍤. In Japan, you can get two pieces of fresh tuna sushi for just 110 yen—what a great deal 🍣!
Both experiences—the paperwork and the sushi—are truly characteristic of Japan 😮💨.
I used to wonder: Is it really necessary to study at universities abroad? That’s why I completed both my undergraduate and graduate studies in Japan. But as I look back, I realize that each experience at a foreign university offered something uniquely valuable—something I couldn’t have gained had I stayed in Japan. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study at three world-renowned institutions: MIT in Boston during my PhD, UCLA during my time as an assistant professor, and later, as a professor at SUTD in Singapore. Looking back, I can’t help but feel immense gratitude for those experiences. 🙏
This photo was taken along the Charles River during my time at MIT with a friend. I look so young (lol). Back then, I sometimes conducted experiments without a clear plan. In contrast, MIT had a strong hypothesis-driven approach to science, and I was amazed by the efficiency of their experimental planning. I also became friends with many East Asian researchers, which made me realize just how hard people from this region work. I once thought I had completely mastered microfluidic device fabrication—though looking back, that was probably an overestimation! 🤣 This was also the time when I became proficient at culturing and handling large quantities of Vorticella with ease.
At UCLA, I gained a firsthand understanding of the challenges of securing research funding as a principal investigator. Another big difference from my younger days was that I developed closer relationships with postdocs. I also had the opportunity to explore the field of optics, which I had never worked on before.✨ It was here that working with lasers became second nature to me, and my perspective expanded significantly. Although I spent less time doing hands-on experiments, what I gained in knowledge and insights was far more valuable.
At SUTD, I began to see things from a broader perspective, including lab and university management. Technically speaking, my expertise in 3D printing grew significantly. In my view, this technology represents a revolution in material freedom, allowing unprecedented flexibility in design and fabrication. On the other hand, I barely had any time to work with my own hands. I often wished I could have at least three free days a week. But managing a large lab makes that nearly impossible—especially with my increasing responsibilities in Japan.
In terms of workload, my time at MIT and SUTD were equally intense. I’d say I worked at least twice as much as an average person. But looking back, it’s this relentless work ethic that built the foundation for where I am today. Thanks to the “savings” from those years of effort, I’ve been able to keep leveling up and moving forward.💪
I wonder how many times I traveled between Japan and Singapore. With this, my one-year stay at SUTD comes to an end. Thank you to Hashimoto-san and everyone at SUTD for your support 🙏 I’m also grateful to everyone in Toyohashi, Japan for dealing with the inconveniences during my absence.
My life has been enriched beyond just research 🏆 I hope we can maintain our good relationship going forward 🚀
シンガポールの定番で自分が一番好きなものは板麺です。板麺目当てに、3km離れたホーカーに向かいます。板麺は小魚の香ばしいアクセントに中毒性があり、何度か紹介してます。油と塩分が低めで、ラクサ、ラーメンよりマイルドです。たぶん日本的な要素があるのが、ハマる要素なんだろうね。うまし😋 Ban mian is my favorite Singapore staple. I head to a hawker center 3km away just for this dish. I’m addicted to the savory accent of the small dried fish, which I’ve introduced several times before. It’s lower in oil and salt, making it milder than laksa or ramen. Perhaps it’s the Japanese-like elements that make it so appealing to me. Delicious😋
For the SUTD exit procedures, 5 signatures are required. Should I get signatures on paper? It seems I need to send PDFs sequentially via email. These stamp rallies also serve as checklists and must be universal around the world📝
Finally complete! Though I feel sad to leave, the 5th floor with its lush greenery and views of planes flying overhead makes this campus truly special ✈️🌿 Finishing the paperwork gives me such a relief 😌
Is Singapore’s IKEA the same as Japan? I ran 7km one-way to the nearest store in Tampines to check. The furniture and household items were almost identical to those in Japan. It’s amazing how their universal products sell well globally. I enjoyed their famous ice cream🍦for 0.5SGD and hot dog🌭for 1SGD. This is the true peace that modern humans seek.😌
シンガポールは飽きやすいと言いますが、走ると解像度が高くなって発見があります。SUTDからPasir Ris(MRT East West Lineの終点)まで片道6kmを走ってみました。終点でも、栄えてるのは驚き🤌 1年で東側を巡ったのは楽しいことでした。 最後はHawkerでスープと玄米を夕食にし、ローカルさを味わいました🫠 They say Singapore can get boring, but running gives you a higher resolution view with new discoveries. I ran the 6km from SUTD to Pasir Ris (the last stop on MRT East West Line). Surprisingly vibrant for an end station!🤌 Exploring the eastern side over the year has been a joy. Finished with soup and brown rice at a Hawker Centre for that authentic local experience🫠
My research assignment in Singapore will conclude this March!
Traveling from Centrair Airport, I was reminded of how unique Singapore is with its countless ships. At night, the view of anchored vessels from above is stunning 🌃🚢.
It’s been four months since my last visit in November, and the 30°C heat feels nostalgic after being away for so long. During this stay, I’ll be wrapping up everything smoothly and preparing for the next chapter 💪.
🏆 Received an award today from the Nagai Foundation for Science and Technology in Nagoya. Grateful to the selection committee and my recommenders. The Chairman was approachable.
🌱 Such events create opportunities for future research ideas. Talks with medical school and AIST colleagues revealed promising new research directions 🌾
Deprecated: 関数 the_block_template_skip_link は、バージョン 6.4.0 から非推奨になりました ! 代わりに wp_enqueue_block_template_skip_link() を使用してください。 in /var/www/ssldocs/wp/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114