Client Testimonials

I was very pleased to join the March 2026 Shinka Management Lean Tour in Japan. Having previously worked with the Toyota Way and Kaizen in the early 1990s, I was keen to revisit this manufacturing philosophy, and the opportunity to see Lean in action in Japan was not to be missed.

The tour was outstanding. The training provided was excellent, particularly the hands-on sessions that allowed us to practice and fully understand what Kaji-sensei had taught. These Lean and Kaizen concepts were further reinforced through five factory visits, where we saw the philosophy and culture in action and gained a clear understanding of how to do more with less.

The entire tour ran seamlessly from start to finish. As a first-time visitor to Japan, I also appreciated the excellent organisation by the Shinka Management team, including quality accommodation, meals, and cultural experiences. Everything was very well arranged.

I learned a great deal from this tour and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in Lean Management, whether new to the concept or already on the journey. It provides valuable insight into opportunities that may already exist within your organisation.

Thank you to Paul, Jan, Kaji-sensei, and Ichi for making this such an enjoyable and rewarding learning experience.

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I recently completed the Lean Manufacturing Tour of Japan and can highly recommend it to anyone in manufacturing or looking to further their understanding of Lean principles. The tour was highly educational and provided me with a clear understanding of the short-, medium-, and long-term improvements I can implement to strengthen the business.
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour was a truly eye-opening experience, offering valuable insights into Lean strategies and broader team-building skills. As someone early in my leadership journey, I found the experience particularly impactful.

I would highly recommend this tour not only to experienced managers, but also to emerging leaders. I look forward to applying the skills and perspectives gained to shape the next chapter of my career.

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This tour with Shinka Management in Japan was an incredible experience and one of the most eye-opening opportunities in my professional career.

Seeing the Toyota Production System firsthand and learning directly from experts about Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and 5S provided insights that simply can’t be gained from books or seminars alone. Visiting world-class factories and observing how continuous improvement is embedded into daily operations was both inspiring and highly informative.

It’s clear why Toyota remains one of the most efficient and successful manufacturers in the world.

The Shinka team delivered an extremely well-organised program, combining factory visits, expert seminars, and cultural insights that made the learning practical and immediately applicable.

I highly recommend the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour to any leader, manager, or business owner looking to truly understand Lean thinking and operational excellence.

Overall, it is a well-organised tour focused on Lean Manufacturing that enables participants to hit the ground running, with strong support and encouragement to learn and develop.

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The Lean Japan Tour by Shinka Management was a truly impactful experience. The learning on Kanban, Standardized Work, Karakuri, and Japanese factory structure was practical, insightful, and directly relevant to strengthening lean culture in our operations.

What inspired me most was seeing leaders in the Japanese companies we visited personally demonstrate discipline, respect for standards, and strict adherence to rules—a powerful reminder that leadership behaviour sets the foundation for a lean organisation.

The Shinka Management team, including Eri, Paul, Ichi, and Jan, displayed outstanding professionalism and hospitality, ensuring every visit, discussion, and learning session was smooth, respectful, and deeply enriching.

This tour is a must for anyone serious about deepening their lean mindset and bringing back actionable ideas for continuous improvement.

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This tour was very well thought out—a busy, fast-paced week that provided a strong range of learning and practical application of the Toyota Production System. The program was thoughtfully structured to apply knowledge gained directly into the factory visits, while also offering valuable insight into Japanese business and culture. I absolutely loved the experience. Thank you.
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The lean study tour to Japan with Shinka Management is something I cannot recommend highly enough for anyone looking to improve their business using lean tools and the Toyota Production System.

I learned a great deal, particularly around the softer skills of working with people—insights that can only truly be gained by seeing them in practice. It was an excellent study tour, and the team made it a wonderful experience. Highly recommended.

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I had a great experience with Shinka Management on the Lean Japan Tour. The program was very well planned in terms of timing, tour structure, and site visits. The team demonstrated a high level of professionalism in organising and delivering the tour. I would highly recommend Shinka for anyone considering a Lean Japan Tour.
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Shinka is offering an outstanding lean tour delivering learning methods in different ways such as site visits at factories, seminars and practical training. Also, as part of the tour, major landmarks are included in the schedule to provide a clear picture about the Japanese culture and history. The tour is well organized and makes the participant experience unforgettable. The Lean Tour is highly recommended.
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A Masterclass in Lean Management and Hospitality

I recently attended the lean management training tour conducted by Shinka Management, and it was, without a doubt, a cut above the rest. Having attended similar trainings in the past, I can confidently say that Paul and his team have set a new standard.

The organization was flawless. Despite the complexity of constantly moving between locations, the transitions were incredibly smooth, and the accommodations provided were top-notch. A special shout-out goes to Paul, Ichi, Juan, and Eri (who worked her magic from the backend) for their dedication.

What truly stood out was the personal touch and genuine care for the participants. Paul went above and beyond to ensure everyone’s individual needs were met, including arranging specific spaces for prayers. His commitment to our learning was equally impressive – he even took the time during lunch to seek me out and answer a question I had raised earlier during the tour, to ensure I fully grasped the concept.

It is hard to put a price tag on this training. The takeaways are invaluable not just for industrial operations but also for service teams. It was a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend Shinka Management to anyone looking to truly upscale their work.
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour was a good learning and hands-on experience that provided insights into world-class lean practices. The combination of factory visits, expert-led workshops and cultural immersion offered practical knowledge that can be applied to improve operational excellence. I highly recommend this program to anyone serious about driving continuous improvement and learning from the best in the industry.
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Overall, the programme was a complement for me with regards to continuous improvement initiatives that I can implement for my company. It opens up a variety of actions that I would not have thought of. I will deliberate with my team on a few ideas that I have observed throughout the training programme. All of the factory visits were beneficial to me as I have never been to a Japanese factory previously. They were really fascinating and clean, systematically arranged for each role and work station. Karakuri was my favourite topic because it was fun. I came to appreciate Kaizen, and the feeling that comes with it – one of calming. A very big thank you to all facilitators from Shinka Management for making this training visit a memorable one. I wish to personally thank Ichi, Juan, Paul and also Eri for this wonderful experience. I would also wish to express my gratitude to Kaji Sensei for his invaluable support. Thank you once again and may our paths cross again in the near future.
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I achieved my objective of learning about Japanese work culture and useful practices to increase work efficiency. The program had a good balance of classroom learning and plant visits. The Shinka Management team, Paul, Juan & Ichi were very helpful ensuring each and every one of us were well taken care of. Also not forgeting Kaji Sensei who was very passionate in educating us about TPS. The team at all the plants we visited were very welcoming and eager to share with us on their corporate information and plant operations. Thank You Shinka Management for such an educational experience.
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This past week has been truly eye-opening, seeing how the theories we learned in class come to life through practical application during our visits.

The hosts were outstanding, with even the highest level of management taking time to showcase their work. Their humility, resilience, and commitment to continuous improvement at the highest level were inspiring. The karakuri implementations were absolutely mind-blowing.

I look forward to implementing some of these practices within my company and even in my daily life. A heartfelt thank you to Shinka Management for providing such a remarkable experience.
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The tour was a terrific experience shared with exceptional individuals. I was able to further my knowledge in lean manufacturing and hone my skills. I learned new ways to reduce waste and improve the working environment within industrial projects.
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Great engagement with the team, curated for our needs including delving into a case study of particular relevance.
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The Japanese Business Etiquette course was amazing – I can’t believe it was 6 hours in total, the time flew by! The content was comprehensive, however felt very organic – topics that were of less interest were covered in passing, while topics that we were interested in were discussed in depth without ever feeling rushed to move to the next point. The use of anecdotes, examples and case studies really helped contextualise the content, plus the use of references to other cultures also helped us appreciate some of the nuances of our own way of working. There was a really good balance as well between the Japanese background/culture, and its manifestation/impact on the type of interactions that we could expect in business. Some very practical lessons could also be drawn from the course – e.g. what to think about/practically DO if hosting a Japanese delegation, what to watch out for, how to interpret/not interpret certain behaviours or actions…
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What a journey into lean! A week jam-packed with learning the true essence of lean from a Sensei, then being critiqued on your practical application of the skills. Followed up by site tours of what world class lean manufacturing looks like. Highly Recommended.
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These tours provide direct, hands-on experience with the Toyota Production System (TPS) and other lean principles in action, going beyond theoretical knowledge. Shinka Management are professional, knowledgeable, and passionate about lean, providing excellent organization. If you are wanting to learn more about lean manufacturing or TPS then this is the best place to start, you won’t be disappointed.
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