Dear Paul, Thank you for the nice experience you and your team were able to provide me! It has been a very professional tour and even more a very nice human connection with you and Eri. You have built a nice team that makes people’s lives change! Ciao, Maurizio
read more
I am now back in the office in rainy Seattle and wanted to say a huge thank you, once again for making the lean tour such an enjoyable learning experience. There are so many valuable learnings and enriching experiences that I am looking forward to sharing with my team and colleagues here in the coming days. I would also like to thank you again for including me in the additional visits to both Kameda Medical Center and Osaka City University Hospital. I cannot believe what a super fun group of people that the Osaka team were; they certainly made me feel very welcome.
Please also pass on my sincere appreciation to Eri for the amazing attention to detail both prior to the trip and to everything on the trip from a logistical standpoint. I know that a lot of work goes into ensuring things run smoothly and I truly thought that she did an amazing job!
read more
Paul, I just wanted to reach out and give my sincere thanks for an amazing week in Japan. You and your team of experts across all areas of business and language gave me an unforgettable experience and reminded me of so many aspects of lean that I had put to one side or taken for granted. The organisation of the course, food, logistics, trains, hotels, etc was of such a high standard and managing that for a large group with their own needs and wants was made to look effortless by your whole team. I will be promoting your Lean Japan Tour to everyone I come across both in my group and outside and I hope to come again myself in the not too distant future. Thanks again.
read more
To do a lean learning tour with Shinka is definitely highly recommended. As lean is a personal journey for everyone who is involved in this topic, it doesn’t matter at which point of your journey you are in. At each level of personal experience there is a lot that you can take home with you. As an eye opener, as a deepener of your own level, as inspiration or as a booster – just do it. Organisation, support, guidance and facilitation by the coaches and trainers – five stars from five!
read more
I enjoyed every aspect of this extremely well organised kaizen tour including: factory visits, translations by Paul and Ben, TPS training, sightseeing, accommodation, transportation, and meals. This tour is a must for anyone trying to understand / implement LEAN into their business or organisation. I hope the tour continues for many years to come as I would like to do it again in future.
read more
I attended the Shinka Management / Ai Group / JMAC Lean Japan Study Tour in 2010 – outstanding, highly recommended. (I don’t have this much fun when I go on holiday.) To see the cultural home of Lean Manufacturing is an experience you will never forget. Ride on a bullet train, walk the factory floor in Toyota plants and talk to the production people, see modular housing being produced on a Lean Production line. Eat in a different Japanese restaurant every night, practice your Karaoke, see Tokyo – amazing! Our tour was guided by Ben Sparrow, an Aussie who is fluent in Japanese and great company (night and day). The Japan Lean Manufacturing tour is a “must do” for anyone serious about understanding world class manufacturing!
read more
A high quality, professional and first-hand experience of how just-in-time and lean are mastered. Great for professional development and a genuine motivator to go further using the lean tools available. A marvelous cultural experience.
read more
The one week Lean Japan Tour not only validates ‘how lean can make business sense’ but also provides the opportunity to learn and share with professionals across different industries.
read more
The whole tour was very professionally undertaken and led. Paul and Ben have to be congratulated for putting together a very informative and very enjoyable experience. The itinerary was excellent and to see from the raw material all the way through the supply chain through to the finished product was superb. I loved the thought put into gaining the experience of the Japanese culture and food. I would very much recommend this tour for organizations and companies looking to implement lean.
read more
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the November 2013 tour. I learned so much about Japanese culture and TPS. Despite coming from the IT industry, I was able to gain valuable insights on the philosophy and principles of Lean that I can apply in my industry. Ben and Paul are top-notch guides. Their wealth of knowledge and proficiency in Japanese (both language and culture-wise) helped us to gain deeper understanding. I strongly recommend anyone who has great passion in Lean to go on this tour.
read more
