Sponsor: ENNA Japan Tour
We have a new sponsor of the blog, ENNA and their Japan Tour. In the interest of full disclosure, if you sign up for their tour through my link, I do receive a commission on that.
Even with Toyota plants in North America (and other good Lean examples), trips to Japan are still very popular. They're used by manufacturing companies and even hospitals (such as Virginia Mason Medical Center).
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about it, but this is from the perspective of someone who has never been to Japan. Is it really necessary to travel all that distance -- lots of expense and time. But, at the same time, the chance to see Toyota and a large number of plants who use the Lean philosophy (it's not all Japanese factories that do) all in a short time is a pretty unique opportunity.
It's a different trip, but Norman Bodek just went over for the 68th time, taking a group to visit, study, and learn.
What are your thoughts or experiences with trips like this?
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by Mark Graban - Permalink
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Here is a report by Peter Scholtes on His First Trip to Japan in 1985. It begins with an overview of his impressions of visiting Japan and then gets into factory visits. It is a report from the Center of Quality and Productivity Improvement which was established by George Box and my father at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. It offers many other excellent reports.
Tour to Japan is a great learning experience, my first visit to Japan was in May 2005. I have seen three Toyota Plants in Japan and go for Toyota Plant tours every year. I also got the opportunity to work on the shop floors of medium sized companies.
Apart from the factories, one can also learn from the many daily life experience- SMED is used for cleaning of the Shinkansen`s (bullet trains). Tickets to see the change over can be bought at the JR (Japan Railway) station.I highly recommend, any one visiting Japan to see the change over.
Each railway line has a color code with which it can be identified.
In order to find simple facilities for e.g a rest room, all you have to do is look up and follow the sign boards.
"Customer is the king" is a very commonly used phrase- to truly experience this, please walk into any shopping mall and start with getting greeted by Irashaimase ( Welcome, may I help you).
To see standard operating procedures being followed outside a factory- take a local train from any station, ride in the first compartment and observe the train driver, while he is driving the train and when the train stops.
There is lot to learn and some one who is into implementing lean and is a good observer, will be able to learn a great deal.
I am currently working in Japan, in a small manufacturing company as a lean coordinator and these are few of my personal experiences.
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