Lean Japan Tour – May 2024 – Shinka Management Kaizen Study Mission
The May 2024 Lean Japan Tour will be held on Sunday 12th through to Saturday 18th May. The kaizen study mission will include lean seminars, practical kaizen training and visits to factories for meetings with senior management.
*Please note new dates as follows*
Tour Dates: 12 May 2024 - 18 May 2024
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 May 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 facotry tour – Toyota Body 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
- Final seminar and tour debrief session
- 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…
If I had to describe the Lean Japan Tour, I would describe it as a great “experience”. It was an experience in every sense – from being surrounded by a new culture, landscapes, food, people; and learning a successful and proven work philosophy with results that are maintained over time. We were able to learn…
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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 would like to thank the Shinka team. They have been doing very well since day one of the program notification. Their work is a demonstration of the lean principles of standard work and Plan, Do, Check and Action (PDCA). The Shinka team arranged factory visits to various tiers of the automotive industry and building…
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I joined the tour with little understanding of lean. This tour opened my eyes to the possibilities of what can be achieved through continued focus on improvement and team work at all levels. The plant tours showcase the Kaizen and 5S principles perfectly. The surprising thing for me is that safety and quality were paramount…
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My expectations for the tour were exceptionally high, but the Shinka Management team exceeded them all. The opportunity to engage with a sensei who possesses decades of experience in the Toyota Production System (TPS) was invaluable. The factory tours, coupled with discussions with managing directors and plant managers, offered profound insights into the organizational culture,…
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Contact us about a Lean Japan Tour
Speak to us about our tours.