KAIZEN® Tours are an integral part of the service offerings of the KAIZEN® Institute worldwide. Enclosed we provide a snapshot of our International KAIZEN® Tour.
Join participants from around the world on a remarkable tour and experience several world class local based companies. Our KAIZEN® Tour partners are successful companies, often honored with awards in their respective industries. This Tour affords participants a "behind the scenes" view into the production and service segments of our Tour partner facilities; providing a look at current KAIZEN® trends in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
KAIZEN® Institute will introduce the latest developments of the KAIZEN® Management System model, namely: Flow Management, Total Productive Maintenance, Quality Control, Service Management, Change Management and KAIZEN® Foundation Philosophy.
All of our Tour Partners have chosen to implement a KAIZEN® Strategy. The site visits and discussions will allow participants to experience KAIZEN® improvements and results achieved in the GEMBA.
After a short introduction from the host site, experience the practical side of KAIZEN® – live and in person! Enjoy the chance to network with fellow tour participants, share experiences, and visit with KAIZEN® experts during the ride in the tour bus and at the joint dinners. Witness TPM, KANBAN, Continuous Flow, and many other powerful, proven systems in action.
Nagoya City is the starting point of each Japan study tour, and it is usually the base for the majority of the week.
Nagoya is in central Japan and is one of the main industrial regions. It is home to many large corporations, such as Toyota, Panasonic and other heavy industries.
So, bearing in mind that you’ll be spending a bit of time in Nagoya, I thought I would share a few tips and suggestions for your stay.
The Castle Plaza Hotel is ituated on one of the main streets and is a 5 minute walk from the central trainstation, the main shops and entertainment district. The centre of Nagoya is filled with modern buildings and architecture, after being re-built after the second World War.
- Masaaki Imai, Jose Pires and Augusto Gonçalves
This year I attended the final of the Japan Study Tour. Although it was my first experience of the tour, it was my third visit to Japan. I have visited Japan many times with good reason; not only is my job connected with Japan and more specifically Toyota, but I personally find Japan as a country both interesting and curious.
Many companies, when considering or beginning their Lean Kaizen journey, question whether it is possible to achieve success in a different country other than Japan. Many people are of the opinion that Japanese people are different; and personally, I have to agree!
When one visits Japan, the culture one can feel quite alien, albeit in a good way. It’s the respect that people have for one another, the organization and civility in which their society thrives, the care and love with which they tend their gardens are all fascinating to observe. Japanese people take immense pride in their role in society, and aim to accomplish their job to the highest possible standard; whether they are a doctor, waitresses or garbage collectors.
Masaaki Imai’s KAIZEN Lean journey started in 1950 at age 26, taking Japanese managers on tours of American plants looking for the secrets of high productivity and efficiency. In 1961, he returned to Japan and became the first corporate headhunter and consultant to major corporations striving for a competitive advantage. Twenty years later, the situation was reversed, with Mr. Imai receiving visitors from all over the world intent on seeking out the secrets of their Japanese trading partners- via KAIZEN Lean Study Tours.
This October I was fortunate enough to attend my second Japanese Study Tour, travelling with a small NZ contingent, to see more of how Japanese companies apply themselves to maximising productivity and efficiency in everything they do.
My overall impression is that the Japanese culture is one with a focus on delivering high quality products and services. I believe that this doctrine probably dates back to ancient times and has been translated into the modern age by companies such as Toyota, Lexus Sony and Panasonic to name but a few.
Day Five (pm): Seki-Chuo General Hospital
Our final visit was a very special one. The afternoons visit was to a hospital this was the first time Lean healthcare has featured on what is traditionally a Kaizen lean manufacturing tour. Seki-Chuo General is a small privately run, government funded hospital of 150 beds, situated in Gifu, between Nagoya and Kyoto.
Day Five (am): Mirai Industries
It’s our last day of tours, and everyone’s looking forward to the final two visits, and of course the farewell party planned for this evening. Today the whole tour party checks out, as tonight we are staying in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, giving us two nights to explore a different part of Japan.
Day Four (pm): Tokai-Shin-ei Electronics
After another great lunch at the Gozarase restaurant we travelled on the tour bus for about an hour to Ena-shi Gifuken, the home of Tokai-Shin-ei Electronics
This was my second trip to Tokai-Shin-ei, my first visit having had left a lasting impression on me. Tokai-Shin-ei design and manufacture printed circuit boards their factory is located in a small town in the foothills of the central ranges around Nagoya. Tokai-Shin-ei ‘s long standing President, Yoshihito Takanaka, gave the initial presentation; he informed us of his corporate philosophy, based on self discipline, employee involvement through Kaizen and a focus on Total Quality.
Day Four (am): Panasonic Electric Works
This is my second trip to Panasonic (former Matsushita Electric Works) the company can trace its roots back to 1918 when it was founded by Konosuke Matsushita. The campus is home to a workforce of approximately 3,000 employees; producing a range of home and industrial circuit switch gear and components for home automation systems.
Day Three: Nabeya Bi-tech Kaisha Company
Wednesday morning already? We are half way through our Japan Lean Kaizen Tour, and today we have a factory tour, Nabeya Bi-tech Kaisha (NBK). After lunch we return to the Castle Plaza Hotel ready for an afternoon of informative lectures on Lean Kaizen topics and philosophies.
Day Two(pm): Morei Seki machine Tool Company
After a great lunch with a fantastic view over the estuary, we headed to the Morei Seki Machine Tool Company’s Chiba campus, near Funabashi City.
On the way out of the hotel where we had our lunch, one of our group noticed a “Japanese Bentley”. For those of you who didn’t watch a recent Top Gear episode, apparently there is a small manufacturer producing a Bentley look alike which is about a two thirds scale version!
Day Two: Toyota Industries Corporation
The evening of day one was a chance for everyone to relax a little and get to know one another. The first day was over and, as customary with our tour there was an informal welcome reception and some delicious Japanese cuisine.
Day One: Toyota Tsutsumi Plant and Kaikan Museum
This year’s October’s KAIZEN & Lean Japan benchmarking tour ran from 19th-24th October. The tour began with the group assembling at the Castle Plaza hotel in Nagoya. Nagoya is the heartland of Toyota, with the majority of the motor plants, subsiduaries and trucks and industrial division within an hour of the bustling city centre.
- 15 - 20 November 2010 - Lean Manufacturing, Total Productive Management and KAIZEN
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