Omron Kyoto Taiyo – Factory Tour
Omron Kyoto Taiyo is an electrical component manufacturer that was formed as a joint venture between Omron and the social welfare service corporation Japan Sun Industries. The company produces high-quality electrical components used for industrial equipment such as sockets, timers and photoelectric sensors. The company is at the forefront of diversity as a majority of their employees have a disability.

Corporate Information
- Company: Omron Kyoto Taiyo
- Foundation: 1986
- Location: Kyoto Prefecture
- Main Business: Manufacturing of electrical components

Omron Kyoto Taiyo – Lean Characteristics
Kaizen, 5S
Omron Kyoto Taiyo is a highly competitive company producing high-quality electrical control devices and components despite the fact that a majority of their employees have a disability with different levels of physical abilities and skills. Rather than treating this characteristic of their workforce as an excuse for not applying kaizen, they actually use kaizen as a means to achieve a safe and comfortable work environment for their employees whilst pursuing outstanding levels of quality and efficiency.
At the Omron Kyoto Taiyo factory, production lines are tailored with the use of jigs, helping devices and tools to meet the needs of individual workers according to the characteristics of their disability so that they can work without any loss of productivity. All the necessary modifications and devices have been made in-house by technicians who themselves are not able-bodied.
The company also recognizes the importance of identifying and developing individual’s skills to improve their production capacity. Managers measure workers’ knowledge, skill level and work speed to produce a human resource map and identify the gap between their abilities and the skills required for production lines. Managers take the gap into account when assigning workers to each task to make the best use of their individual capabilities. When it is impossible for the gap to be closed, helping devices are introduced to compensate the need for the skill.
The company has a unique and innovative approach for 5S where all workers can be involved to keep their shop floor tidy and organized.
Learn from a company that aspires to make the most of its diversity where everyone’s ability and potential are fulfilled with creative solutions.


Rancagua, O'Higgins, Chile
If I had to describe the Lean Japan Tour, I would describe it as a great “experience”. It was an experience in every sense – from being surrounded by a new culture, landscapes, food, people; and learning a successful and proven work philosophy with results that are maintained over time. We were able to learn…
read more

San Francisco, California, United States
Thank you, Paul Smith and Ben Sparrow, for hosting this amazing real time learning experience through visits to factories in Japan practicing Lean methodologies. This trip is something I will remember and take with me throughout my professional career and personal life.
read more

Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
My experience on the Lean Japan Tour: – High level of attention and kindness with all participants; – Quality of content in the classroom; – Knowledge and experience of senseis; – Experiments in the dojo; – High-quality company visits; – High-quality hotels, meals and transports.
read more

Toulouse, France
Amazing Tour. Great experience to see and share with Japanese managers. I learned a lot about their culture, their way to think, to work and to improve by themselves. Great moments during training and after work. Thanks a lot. We will return back home with a new eye and mindset.
read more

Lumut, Brunei
The tour shows how industries in Japan do continuous improvement in their respective companies. I think that such concepts could also be applied in other industries as well when applied correctly within its own framework. The tour also showcases some aspects of Japanese culture which I appreciate a lot as it provides insight into the…
read more

Pforzheim, Germany
The Lean Japan Tour was the best lean management experience I have had. I wish I had done this earlier, so I could have done some things differently. One learns that some aspects of lean that one thought one knew, really have a different dimension to them. It helps to see lean management where it…
read more
The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run 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.
