Wow We've Been Busy!

It seems like we've been in Japan for months now! We have just packed so much into these past four days... More than a dozen meetings, and multiple wonderful meals and adventures in Tokyo.

Apologies to our loyal readers (Hi Mom!)... We had planned on giving daily updates on the blog, but living the experience has taken precedence over documenting the experience. But fear not! We collectively have thousands of photos and countless stories and reflections that will ultimately be shared on the Internet, probably once we land back in beautiful Palo Alto.

For now, please accept this brief and humble update.

It has been an incredible and eye opening experience. We have been most impressed with the gracious accommodations made by all of the companies and individuals we have visited. Japan has exceeded its reputation of being the kindest of hosts.

In addition to unanimously warm receptions, we have also been able to engage our hosts in candid conversations about the changing nature of Japan's corporate environment. To generalize, the Stanford business education stresses and celebrates entrepreneurship and respectful iconoclasm. This approach contrasts with the traditional Japanese hierarchical corporate structure - one that has worked quite successfully in the past, yet is changing at an accelerating pace.

We will continue to probe on this point in particular, and test our individual hypotheses on the pros and cons of such changes.

More details to come, but for now we are all recovering from a wonderful sobe and sake party, thanks to Daisuke's family, and we are packing our bags and preparing for journeys outside of Tokyo. Coming next, we have Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagano, and Atami. Please check back for updates! For now, here are some fun photos and videos from this past week...

And they're off

The air in the President Aoyama Hotel is filled with breathless anticipation as the Japan study trip officially kicks off today. We say breathless, since fear of the Noro virus (a vicious flu) means that each and every breath here may be our last. Masks may soon be the order of the day for the GSBers. Jet lag and exhaustion has not dampened our spirits, as a number of early arrivers have already canvassed the Tokyo social scene and left a Godzilla-like path of bacchanalia.

Tomorrow we begin our meetings in earnest, as we head off to the IRCJ (Industrial Revitalization Corporation of Japan), NTT DoCoMo, Livedoor, Sony and LVMH Japan . . . whew. We look forward to serving our readers with enthusiasm, spirit, and a touch of humor. As they say in Tokyo, saio nara!

Track Us with Maps

We just added a cool interactive itinerary map from Platial.

Check it out down at the bottom of this page.
Keep scrolling down... Almost there... Nice!

You can click on any of the five city icons to get an idea of our itinerary within that city. Once you click on an icon, just look underneath the map for text.

The order of our visits is:
1. Tokyo (Dec 17-22)
2. Kyoto (Dec 22-24)
3. Hiroshima (Dec 24-25)
4. Nagoya (Dec 25-26)
5. Atami (Dec 26-27)

Konichiwa (That Means "Good Day")

Welcome to the official blog of Stanford GSB's 2006 Japan Study Trip.

We are going to be using this blog as a way to communicate with our friends and family and loved ones during our adventures in Japan. Look forward to stories, photos, and videos and whatever other media we think might be interesting as we romp around the land of the rising sun.

The trip officially launches on December 17th...
Kampai!