Lean Japan Tour – March 2025 – Shinka Management Kaizen Tour
The March 2025 Lean Japan Tour will be held on Sunday 9th through to Saturday 15th March. The kaizen tour will include lean seminars, practical kaizen training, visits to factories for discussions with senior leaders and Japanese cultural experiences.
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 March 2025 lean study tour is targeted at English-speaking professionals from across the globe.
The Lean Japan Tour, hosted by Shinka Management, provides a comprehensive exploration of lean management practices, directly from the birthplace of these methodologies. This kaizen tour program offers participants the chance to engage with experts in the field, visit renowned factories, experience hands-on lean training, study the Toyota Production System and observe lean implementation and culture in action. The program also includes seminars and discussions with senior leaders, offering insights into the successful implementation of lean strategies.
During this journey in Japan, participants will experience Japan’s unique culture, gaining a holistic understanding of how cultural elements influence business practices and lean thinking. This kaizen tour program is ideal for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and application of lean principles in their organizations.
Example Itinerary (subject to change)
Sunday: Arrive Tokyo
- Tokyo Sightseeing / Free Time
- Orientation & Japanese Business Etiquette Seminar
- Welcome Dinner
Monday: Site Visits & Training
- Travel to Aichi Prefecture
- Seminar | Lean Leadership in Japan
- Site Tour | Suzaki Industries | Toyota Supplier
- Seminar | Toyota Production System
- Group Dinner in Inuyama
Tuesday: Seminars & Practical Training
- Seminar | Toyota Production System Standard Work
- Hands-on Training | Kaizen Team Challenge
- Group Dinner | Traditional Japanese Restaurant
Wednesday: Site Visit & Practical Training
- Site Visit | Metal One Isuzu (Steel Service Center)
- Practical Training | Kanban Simulation
- Sightseeing at Inuyama Castle
Thursday: Site Visits
- Factory Tour | Toyota Final Assembly Plant
- Factory Tour | Precision tools manufacturer
Friday: Site Visit & Debriefing
- Site visit | Automotive Parts Supplier
- Toyota Commemorative Museum
- Final seminar and Tour Debrief Session
- Return to Tokyo
- Farewell Dinner in Shibuya
Saturday: Tokyo – Recovery and Sightseeing
- Tokyo Sightseeing | Asakusa and Ginza
- Departure
Learn more about our kaizen tour programs
The Lean Japan Tour, run several times annually, is Shinka Management’s flagship lean professional development program. All kaizen tour programs have a similar structure, however the selection of factory visits and program content varies from tour to tour depending on host company availability.
For further information about our kaizen tours, see our Lean Tour page, or read through feedback from previous lean tour participants.
What our kaizen tour participants have said…
The Lean Japan Tour was an educational and exciting experience. The Shinka Management team with its impeccable all-round service ensured that the head and heart were free and open the whole time to be able to collect the many impressions. The factory tours, in connection with getting to know the country and culture, have expanded…
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I must say thank you to the whole Shinka team – very grateful to meet you. The senseis and the Shinka team always cared about integrating us, teaching us and making us feel comfortable. The planning for the tour was brilliant. All my expectations were met. I saw TPS totally implemented, and it was amazing…
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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…
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Amazing Tour. Great experience to see and share with Japanese managers. I learned a lot about their culture, their way to think, to work and to improve by themselves. Great moments during training and after work. Thanks a lot. We will return back home with a new eye and mindset.
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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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Contact us about a Lean Japan Tour
Speak to us about our kaizen tours and other lean training programs.