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JAPAN EVENT & TRAVEL INFO

kaizen from the Source

The JAPAN KAIZEN STUDY MISSION: MAY 18-24TH, 2025

KYOTO - NAGOYA - GERO - HAMAMATSU - SHIZUOKA - TOKYO

Japan Kaizen Learning Mission

May 18th - 24th, 2025

It’s one thing to read about Lean, it’s another to see it in action.

What better place to see it than at the source, in Japan?

PROGRAM SCHEDULE*

Sunday, May 18th - Kyoto

  • OPTIONAL: Morning visit to Nara to feed the deer, and afternoon trip to see monkeys on the hills outside Kyoto

 

  • Program Starts with an Orientation Meeting

  • Welcome Team Kickoff Dinner

  • Cultural Activity: Kintsugi

Monday, May 19th - Kyoto to Nagoya

  • Factory Visit to Hilltop 21
  • Cultural Experience: Ryoanji Temple and Lecture on Zen Buddhism
  • Factory Visit to Omron Taiyo
  • Travel to Nagoya
  • Team Dinner

Tuesday, May 20th - Nagoya to Gero

  • Factory Visit to Meidoh Engineering

  • Lecture by Toyota Sensei and Explore the Toyota Commemorative Museum.
  • Travel to Suimeikan Ryokan in Gero
  • Team Dinner
  • Cultural Experience: The Onsen

Wednesday, May 21st - Gero to Hamamatsu

  • Optional Early Morning Hike to the Top of Mt. Gero-Fuji

  • Lecture at Suimeikan Ryokan about how Toyota Consultants Transformed Their Hotel

  • Cultural Experience for Lunch
  • Historical Visit to Okazaki Castle
  • Arrive at Hamamatsu
  • Team Dinner
  • Cultural Activity: Katana Sword Practice

Thursday, May 22nd- Hamamatsu to Tokyo

  • Gemba Visit to the Hamamatsu City Hall

  • Tour the Unagi Pie Factory
  • Travel to Shizuoka to Nihondaira Observatory of Mt. Fuji for a Lecture From Tamiya Chairman
  • Bullet Train to Tokyo
  • Team Dinner

Friday, May 23rd - Tokyo

  • Lectures from Toyota Woven City Leaders

  • Visual Management Scavenger Hunt
  • Tokyo Police Lost & Found Tour
  • Program Workshop
  • Team Dinner

Saturday, May 24th - Tokyo

  • AM Cultural Experience

  • Final Strategic Planning Session & Program Debrief
  • Graduation
  • Team Lunch

 

  • Optional: Visit the Great Buddha in Kamakura and/or attend the Sumo Tournament in Tokyo
  • * All times, sessions, visits, and speakers to be confirmed, this is a representative schedule of what the Learn Mission will contain.

Act Now! Space is Limited

We only have 18 total spots, and several of them have already been sold.

Ticket Information

JAPAN KAIZEN STUDY MISSION

$8,750 /Ticket

Global Lean Summit

MAY 18-24, 2025

  • Pre-Planning Sessions
  • Participation in the Japan Kaizen Study Mission
  • 1 Year Post-Sessions
  • BONUS: Free access to all past sessions of the Virtual Lean Summit.
  • BONUS: Ticket to the Global Lean Summit September 23-25th (valued at $2,400) OR the April 22-24 Workshop, Building Your Strategic Hoshin into a Daily Obeya System" at Toyota Material Handling (valued at $2,800) both are outside Indianapolis, Indiana.
Buy Now

TRAVEL & HOTEL INFORMATION

AIRPORT

There are a lot of ways to get to Kyoto, Japan.  You can fly into a Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda) or the Osaka Airport.  From there you can take a train to Kyoto.  For specific details we will work with you to find the best option that works for you.  Keep in mind that the 2025 World Expo will be in Osaka during the time that we are there.  It might be worth it to visit this before the start of the Learning Mission.

HOTEL & EVENT LOCATION

Location: Kyoto, Japan

Exact location to be determined

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Japan Kaizen Learning Mission?

This is not a tour but a deep dive into Lean management practices and the cultural impacts of Japan on Lean philosophy. It is designed to help individuals and organizations to ‘get to the next level’ in their Lean Journey. Not only will we be visiting a wide range of industries that practice Lean, but we will be meeting with Toyota Sensei’s and business leaders, and incorporating cultural activities into this immersive experience.  You will learn more in one week, than you did in years of study.  Kaizen is about continuous improvement, and the Japan Kaizen Learning Mission is designed to help you in your CI transformation journey.  As such, our involvement doesn’t end at the end of the trip, but we will have both pre and post learning sessions with the participants.  This learning mission is here to support you for the next year as you implement the ideas you gained in Japan.  Follow up learning sessions, guest speakers, and more will help you on your Kaizen Journey.

What makes this Japan Learning Mission different from the others?

There are a lot of good tours out there, but we feel that investing in coming to Japan should be more than a tour, we want you to get the most out of every second of the Learning Mission. We bring in real Sensei’s to share their knowledge and experience. We are looking to introduce you to companies in multiple different industries that truly have a Kaizen culture. One of interpreters worked with Taiichi Ohno and Shigei Shingo. We also want to introduce you to both the historical and cultural aspects of Japan that play and impact on how Lean is implemented in companies.

There are two other things that set us apart from the rest. First, we believe that just showing you something is not enough, you need to learn it and try it on your own. We will continue to work with you and the rest of your Program group to have monthly check-ins, hold each other accountable, and even have additional Sensei’s join us from time to time.

And second, because we run other events like the Virtual Lean Summit, the Global Lean Summit, and our new service of A Lean Way Workshop (various different workshops designed to help you build key Lean leadership and Organizational Lean Transformation skills), we can incentivize you with providing bundled discounts you won’t get anywhere else. You will get Free Access to all of the Virtual Lean Summit sessions, both current and past, for being part of the Program. You also, will get a 50% off discount to our workshops and the Global Lean Summit.

Where will the Japan Learning Mission Take Place?

It will kick-off in Kyoto, Japan and end in Tokyo, Japan.  We will visit various cities and towns in between those two cities to give you the learning insights to help you grow.

What payment methods do you accept?

Please use the link on this website to purchase your tickets via credit card.  We have some payment options available for you. However, payment must be received in full prior to participation.  There are a limited number of seats available (18), so, don’t delay. For large groups, please contact us if payment by check would be easier.

What’s included in the Ticket price?

We will have a couple of pre-mission sessions to help you prepare for going to Japan, where we will answer questions, and prepare you for an amazing experience.  All transportation, meals, accommodations, cost of visiting locations, sensei lecture fees, interpreters, and workbook are covered.  We cover everything from the start of the Japan Kaizen Learning Mission until the end. Transportation to Japan, cost to get to Kyoto, travel insurance, accommodation and meals outside of the program date are excluded.  

Post-sessions will be held monthly to create accountability and answer questions, and the cost of guest speakers during these sessions, will be included in the ticket price.

Additionally, you will get access to all of our past Virtual Lean Summit sessions. You can also take advantage of a mind-blowing 50% discount off of admission to attend a three-day workshop at Toyota Material Handling in Indiana (May 22-24) and/or attend the Global Lean Summit in September (23-25) [Bonus Workshop day excluded], in Bloomington, Indiana.

Can I Attend the Pre-Summit Workshop at the Global Lean Summit?

Yes, you can add on the Pre-Summit Workshop day (Monday, 22 September) for an additional $595.

If I can’t attend, can I assign my ticket to someone else in my organization?

Absolutely. Just send us an email to let us know about the change.

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out via email at: support@globalleansummit.com or call us at (206) 798-8486

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