Kyushu Alumni Tour – September 2019
Return to Japan to experience an all-new program for Lean Japan Tour Alumni only
In September 2019, Shinka Management invite our past participants of the Lean Japan Tour to the beautiful southern island of Kyushu. A completely new selection of company visits has been arranged in the prefectures of Fukuoka and Oita.
Also joining us for this special event will be Akinori Hyodo, the former manager of the Toyota HiAce plant. He will lead seminars and plant visit discussions throughout the week.
The tour will be held on Sunday 22nd September through Saturday 28th September, and will include kaizen seminars and visits to factories for meetings with senior management.
The tour coincides with the Rugby World Cup. A great opportunity to also take in the atmosphere of the event’s host country.

For further details of the tour and to read about past visits see our kaizen tour page.
Contact us to express your interest in participating.
The September 2019 tour is open to all past participants of the Lean Japan Tour.
Example Itinerary (subject to change)
Sunday: Arrive Fukuoka
- Fukuoka free time
- Orientation & Seminar with former Toyota factory manager
Monday: Fukuoka – Site Visits & Training
- Seminar with former Toyota factory manager
- Toyota Motor Kyushu factory visit
Tuesday: Fukuoka – Site Visits & Training
- Seminar with former Toyota factory manager
- Toyota Motor Kyushu factory visit
Wednesday: Oita- Site Visits & Training
- Fundokin miso factory visit
- Fundokin salad dressing factory visit
Thursday: Oita – Site Visits
- Omron Taiyo factory visit
- Toto factory visit
Friday: Oita – Site Visit & Debriefing
- Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal factory visit
- Oita City Government
Saturday: Oita – Recovery and Sightseeing
- Oita sightseeing
- Departure from Fukuoka Airport
Learn more about our Lean Japan Tour
The Lean Japan Tour is Shinka Management’s flagship lean professional development program. For further detail about our lean Japan tours, see the Lean Japan Tour page, or read more about past participants’ Lean Mission Testimonials.
What our tour participants have said…
The Shinka lean study mission of Japan offers participants an opportunity to see what is possible in undertaking world class manufacturing. The insights that are possible on tours like this can really challenge what you think are the real key success factors for implementation and enhance the chance of success in your own journey.
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The Lean Japan Tour is an enriching experience and organized very well by Shinka Management. It was the most wonderful training I have attended so far and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to be inspired about lean management and world class manufacturing!
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I wanted to express my appreciation for the incredible Lean Japan Tour experience. I am grateful for the hospitality and support Shinka Management provided. Your guidance on Japanese Business Etiquette was invaluable. I am not aware of any training consultants who pay such meticulous attention to details. Your warm and welcoming approach created an excellent…
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The March 2025 Lean Japan Tour was an incredible opportunity to experience Japanese culture and kaizen practices firsthand. I would rate my overall satisfaction with this tour as outstanding. Honestly, it is very difficult to identify areas for improvement in the program, as it is executed with such professionalism and extensive experience. The dedication and…
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A very valuable and well-organized experience. Getting good access to factories where TPS and lean manufacturing are used as well as the instruction from experienced instructors made this a very worthwhile experience. Participants should leave well equipped to train others as well as conduct kaizen practices themselves.
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Contact us about a Lean Japan Tour
Speak to us about our tours.