Toyota Motor Corporation – Factory Tour
Toyota Motor Corporation is a leading Japanese car manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. The company was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. It is the home of the Toyota Production System (TPS), a lean management philosophy founded on the two key pillars of Jidoka and Just-In-Time.
Corporate Information
- Company: Toyota Motor Corporation
- Establishment: 1937
- Location: Headquartered in Aichi Prefecture
- Main Business: Automotive manufacturing
Toyota Factory Tour – Lean Characteristics
TPS, Jidoka, Just-In-Time Production
Toyota is the home of the Toyota Production System (TPS). The lean manufacturing movement is based around the management principles, tools and culture that Toyota has been developing for over 60 years.
Supported by the two key pillars of Jidoka (a Japanese word that can be translated as “automation with a human touch”) and Just-In-Time, TPS aims to offer high quality, short delivery times, and reasonable cost through employee creativity and intense efforts to eliminate waste. It is designed so that machines and people alike stop production when there is equipment failure or any other irregularity in order for it to be immediately corrected. Also, it improves productivity without waste by manufacturing and delivering the necessary parts at the necessary time in the necessary quantity.
Shinka Management has shop floor-level access to the final assembly plant that produce the Toyota HiAce and the Toyota Coaster for Toyota Motor Corporation – facilities that are not open to the general public.
A factory visit includes access to welding (body shop), assembly and inspection lines. Unlike free public factory tours offered by Toyota (currently suspended indefinitely following the pandemic) which focus on general themes, Shinka Management tours focus on the application of the Toyota Production System and are led by one of our Sensei formerly from the Toyota Group.
The factory visit incorporates content on the two pillars of the Toyota Production System; Jidoka and Just-In-Time. The tour provides a close-up view of 5S, standard work, visual management, karakuri, poka-yoke, AGV (automated guided vehicle) and kanban application, with questions taken both on the shop floor and in a Q&A session following the visit.
I attended the tour in 2011 and found the whole experience very useful to build on my understanding of Lean Manufacturing. For those having a reasonable understanding of Lean this tour shows in detail the gap that Australia experiences to world class productivity practices. Most interesting was the deployment of essentially the key elements of…
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Paul and Ben from Shinka Management need to be commended for the tour that they ran in Japan. The experience has enlightened and energised me to intensify the lean efforts within our organisation. The tour was packed full of knowledge building as well as relationship building with other participants all whilst experiencing a cultural treat…
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Shinka Management organized an excellent tour. It was structured to capture professional development and cultural experience. The tour also provided me with experiences related not only to the local culture and food of Japan, but also to the culture and languages of fellow participants from all over the world. This tour has made a significant…
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I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for organizing such a fantastic tour. From the seamless logistics to the thoughtfully curated, authentic Japanese experience, everything was meticulously planned, making for an unforgettable trip. Your team’s professionalism, and passion for what you do really shone through, and it truly enhanced the entire experience. I appreciate…
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The TPS methodologies and learnings were exceptional. Shinka management ensured the tour was clearly defined. The teachings from expert senseis were effective, and they shared their knowledge and experience of the kaizen and 5S models. A must attend tour for people who are seeking improvements in business and culture. Thank you Shinka management!
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One of the best weeks of my life. It has changed the way I see my production facility forever!
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run by Shinka Management’s team of lean consultants several times annually. The program includes a mix of lean and kaizen seminars, hands-on lean training and visits to several benchmark lean companies. For further information and program dates, see the lean tour overview page.
Tour Inquiries
Interested in joining us in Japan? For additional information prior to registration please fill in the form provided or contact us.
The above form is for inquiries related to the Lean Japan Tour program, Shinka Management consulting and training services, and lean manufacturing software products. Shinka Management does not represent Toyota. For Toyota-related product and service inquiries, please contact Toyota directly.
Planning a Visit to Japan?
Prepare for your visit by reading Shinka Management’s guide to Japanese Business Culture and Etiquette.