Lean Japan Tour

An outstanding experience. The opportunity to learn and build knowledge with experts in the principles of lean management was first class. The Japan context simply makes all the difference in putting that learning into context and allowed me to get “under the hood” of how it is really applied in practice through a variety of hosted site visits. The Shinka team are just amazing and I have met some great people from all over the world by joining this tour. What are you waiting for?
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It has been a very successful tour with a very friendly and supportive team. All the training materials, factory visits and accommodation have been very well organised. Transport was on time and food has been so amazing. The exposure to the lean tools and techniques and their applications are so practical and I learnt a lot. My heartfelt appreciation and a BIG THANK YOU to Paul and the team.
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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 continuous improvement mental models in Japan. The tour also includes guest lecturers with experience in transforming companies, and who actually changed my perspective on why we do KAIZEN. I would actually recommend the leaders of companies to attend such tours and bring such mindset and behavior into their respective industries.
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My experience on the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour was spectacular. Learning more about TQM and Lean Management in the country where almost all industries are implementing these approaches has been surreal. It was also a good experience witnessing these firsthand in the manufacturing industry and even more so in the healthcare industry. It is amazing to see that companies are able to sustain these principles over such a long period of time. We have been exposed to these approaches in the past, and although we are not new to this field, it gave us a sense of urgency in reviving and pushing for the same principles in our workplace. The best part during the tour for me was the hospital visits since I am from the healthcare industry. I have learned as well an important lesson during the tour which is to look inside first and assess what needs to be done. We shouldn’t be asking how we could use the tools or just implement what we learned, but rather, ask first what the problem is.
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Excellent, from preparing the tour group on do’s and don’ts to guidance on what to watch out for every step of the way. Cannot recommend this enough if you are looking to learn how to resolve issues, and want to understand the lean approach from philosophy to theory to practice. Thank you very much, Paul, Ben and Juan for the rich learning experience and great company, and Eri for the logistics support from afar. Special thanks to Kaji Sensei for sharing and noting where we were good and where we could improve. Arigato gozaimasu!
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The overall experience on the Lean Japan Tour is great with a lot of learnings from the trainings, workshops and company and factory visits. The accommodation and meals were also well arranged with the schedule and agenda organized in a great manner. Really appreciate Ben and Paul making everything comfortable and efficient during the whole trip with their professional work! Special thanks to Juan for making the memorable photos of all the moments! Highly recommend this program from Shinka!
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The training schedule is very tight and efficient, the class room training was practical and led by an experienced teacher from Toyota, and the tour visits covered a wide range of industries including car manufacturing, parts processing and healthcare.
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I really liked the Lean Japan Tour, since it combines theoretical training, workshops and visits to different companies. It is different to see firsthand how the different methodologies work and take the time to understand that it is part of the organizational culture. Thank you Shinka Management team. Now let’s get to work…!!
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This is a great lean tour! Through the week together we have participated in visits to local companies, classroom sessions and hands on exercises. It’s impressive to see how the Toyota Way is really working efficiently and effectively. The organizers are professional, and have good relationships with the sites we visited. They know what the participants are looking for and provide perfect support.
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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.
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