Lean Japan Tour – April 2024 – Shinka Management Kaizen Study Mission
The April 2024 Lean Japan Tour will be held on Sunday 7th through to Saturday 13th April. The kaizen study mission will include lean seminars, practical kaizen training and visits to several factories with a TPS focus and a hospital with a lean healthcare focus for site tours and meetings with senior management.
This program is currently fully subscribed. Please check our Lean Japan Tour program dates for other options, or contact us via the form below to join the waitlist.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
For further details of the tour and to read about past visits see our Lean Japan Tour page.
Contact us to express your interest in participating or download the registration form to sign up now.
The April 2024 lean study tour is targeted at English-speaking professionals from across the globe.
Example Itinerary (subject to change)
Sunday: Arrive Tokyo
- Tokyo sightseeing / free time
- Orientation & Japanese business etiquette seminar
Monday: Nagoya – Site Visits & Training
- Lean leadership in Japan
- Toyota factory tour – Toyota Boshoku Seiko
Tuesday: Nagoya – Site Visits & Training
- Lean implementation in Japan
- Toyota final assembly plant tour
- Standard work seminar
Wednesday: Nagoya – Training & Site Visit
- Suzaki Industries factory tour (Toyota Supplier)
- Metal One Isuzu factory tour
- Sightseeing to local castle
Thursday: Nagoya – Practical Training
- Hands-on kanban simulation
- Standard work and kaizen practical
- Karakuri Kaizen Examples
Friday: Nagoya – Site Visit & Debriefing
- Site visit or Toyota Commemorative Museum
- Hospital visit – lean healthcare site tour
- Return to Tokyo
Saturday: Tokyo – Recovery and Sightseeing
- Free morning in Tokyo for sightseeing
- Departure
Learn more about our kaizen study missions
The Lean Japan Tour is Shinka Management’s flagship lean professional development program. For further detail about our kaizen study tours, see the Lean Japan Tour page, or read more about past participants’ Lean Mission Testimonials.

What our lean study mission participants have said…
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.
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During the Lean Japan Tour I came to the realization that improving an organization is not through large capital investments alone. We were completely surrounded by examples of minor investments into small improvements that produced significant savings. The clever use of visual management techniques gave a clear understanding of the current situation and Ben who…
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The Lean Japan tour is an experience that has to be lived, because words are not enough to describe it. With excellent logistics and shared experiences, the Lean Japan Tour allowed us to experience the Toyota Production System beyond just the industrial realm. Thanks to the entire Shinka Management team for making this great experience…
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The Lean Japan Tour with Shinka Management was an inspiring and transformative experience. Seeing lean practices in action and learning from Japanese companies was truly eye-opening. This journey has motivated me to embrace lean principles in my own work. Big thanks to Shinka Management for such an enriching program — I highly recommend it!
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Having completed several graduate courses in lean production and management during my MSc in Industrial Engineering, I was no stranger to the principles and theories that underpin this field. However, the opportunity to embark on the Lean Japan Tour with Shinka Management was nothing short of transformative. It strengthened my understanding of lean practices to…
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Contact us about a Lean Japan Tour
Speak to us about our tours.