May 31 - A Day with the Cruiser!

It was quite a week recovering from the trip to Japan, scrambling to prepare for a summer course (beginning tomorrow)  I had expected was canceled, chairing an honors thesis defense, and just dealing with a host of other matters .... so today I relaxed by spending the day with my '72 Toyota LandCruiser.  "Together after all these years", the Cruiser is ageless, consistent, and dedicated performance.  Taro and I cleaner her inside and out a went took her through out for a few runs.  Here are a few photos.  To see more, visit paulmyer.com.  Enjoy!

 

May 27

The transition from a trip to Japan to Orono Maine involves much more than dealing with "jet lag", although I find that I now pay a greater toll due to the physical demands of travel than earlier in my life.

For myself, the more serious issues are psychological and emotional.  While both Keiko and I are happy to return to the University of Maine community, we are often conflicted in our feelings as we make the transition.

Perhaps they are stronger in this instance as this was a very different visit for us.  Taking on many of the planning and implementation tasks of the MBA trip and sharing our time with 20 other travelers was both a challenging and rewarding experience.  While we did get to see family and some friends, and enjoy some new experiences we arranged for the trip, the nature of the trip put us in the odd position of being tourists.

May 24 - Home Again

After some 30 hours of bus and air travel, with many hours spent waiting in terminals, we arrived back in Bangor to be greeted by family and friends.  I can't wait to see a sample of the thousands of photographs taken and reading the required journals the students penned during the trip.

Kyoto Highlights

After the intense business focus of the Tokyo phase of the trip everyone looked forward to the Kyoto portion of the trip ..... and I can say without fear of contradiction that they were not disappointed in the Kyoto experience.

The hotel was a traditional Japanese inn, the Three Sisters Annex, where students shared rooms, sleeping on tatami mats and observing other Japanese lifestyle activities.

The sites and experiences of Kyoto are a complex composite of visual, intellectual and emotional connections.

One highlight was participating in a traditional tea ceremony where students not only observed the process but were taught how to make a drink the special tea by a tea master and her assistants.

Another interesting stop was a tour of a sake brewery located in an area identified as "old Japan".  Many may have thought they walked onto a movie set.

A final night tofu dinner offered everyone a taste of Japan not often found in Japanese restaurants outside of Japan.

May 24 - On Our Way

The UMaine MBA trip participants are on their way back to Orono.  The students are in high spirits.  We departed Kyoto at 7AM on Sunday 5/24 (6PM Saturday 5/23 in Maine) and will not arrive in Bangor until 12:30PM 5/25 (11:30PM Sunday 5/24 in Maine) ... about 30 hours of travel!

Everyone is now relaxing at the Tokyo/Narita Airport after a 2 hour bus ride to the Osaka airport and a short flight to Tokyo.  ETD for Detroit is 6:50PM Tokyo time. 

May 22-23 | Kyoto

Too much to say with little time to say it right now.  The past two days have been filled with group and individual activities enjoying the culture and history of Japan as we toured and experienced the wonders of Kyoto.  Tomorrow we begin our journey back to Orono.

Please return to my blog on Monday as I will post my comments and some photos highlighting the Kyoto "experience".  You will see us learning the fine art of the tea ceremony and the brewing of sake.  Shrines, temples, gardens, and the serenity of the "Philosopher's Walk" will be among the featured elements of an intense, rewarding and memorable educational and cultural experience.

I have also posted some selected photos to the MBS MBA PhotoBucket site.  Expect to see it soon populated with hundreds of photos from the students on the trip.

From Kyoto, goodbye for now.

May 21

On Thursday morning we concluded our stay in Tokyo and boarded the famed Japanese Shinkansen "bullet train" as we headed to Kyoto, the "soul of Japan," with an intermediate stop in Toyota City to tour the Toyota Motor Company factory.

Both events were exciting elements and added to the value of the trip.

We arrived in Kyoto and introduced everyone to their first very traditional Japanese inn experience!  The arrival signals a shift from three very intensive days of business related activities to a more focused attention on Japanese history and culture.

Company Meeting - May 20

On our final day in Tokyo two company meetings were held.  The morning session was a visit with State Street, a global leader in providing financial services to institutional investors.  Joining Japan's Managing Director, Sakuaki Yasuda, and Vice President Matthew Thomas, via a teleconference from Boston was State Street's senior executive Dan Bouchard, a UMaine alumni and MBS Advisory Board member.

In the afternoon, we visited with executives from Itochu, one of the largest Japanese trading companies responsible for extensive exporting and importing activities.  Yuya Hirano and Masayuki Amano presented their specific business activities regarding the production and sale of canned tuna around the world.  As two young executives, who studied English at USM, Yuya and Massayuki offered our students insights not only about global and Japanese business but also about how their personal views of work and life in Japan.  A most interesting and lively session. 

UMaine Japan Alumni Dinner

One highlight of the trip was an opportunity to meet with a group of UMaine alumni from Japan. Five graduates of UMaine joined faculty and students for an evening of sharing memories and personal conversations that greatly expanded the opportunity to learn more about Japanese culture and business practices.  

  

May 19 - Company Meetings

Following the return from the Tsukiji, the students were joined by four senior executives of Dentsu, the largest advertising and marketing communications agency in Japan.  The firm represents many significant Japanese companies (such as Toyota and Sony) on a global basis as well as the interests of firms such as McDonald's and Coca-Cola in the Japanese market.  Koichi Fukumoto presented a detailed view of Dentsu's business, including a strategic assessment of its strengths and weaknesses.  Fukumoto-san also shared three significant client case studies concerning US firms in Japan (Coke) and a Japanese firm in the US (Canon), presenting and analyzing examples of Dentsu's awarding winning creative work.

The afternoon was spent with Keiichirou Wada, R&D Officer of Tomorgawa, a traditional Japanese firm with roots in the pulp and paper industry.  Wada-san reviewed the firm's transition to a technology-based business strategy that had special relevance for Maine companies in that sector.

The final briefing was a visit with Noriyuki Yachi, store manager of one of Maine's LL Bean's stores in Japan.

The day concluded with a trip to Tokyo's fabled Akihabara district, also known as "Electric City", where you can experience and purchase some of the most advanced electric and digital products manufactured.

Tuesday, May 19 - Tsukiji

UMaine's MBA students began Tuesday, May 19 with a 5:30 AM visit to the Tsukiji Market, the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world.  The trip to Tsukiji required a 4:45AM start in order to be present at the famous tuna auction.  The morning ended with a fabulous sushi breakfast.

Monday, May 18 - Company Meetings

We began three days of intensive visits to business firms in Tokyo today with a meeting with Mr. Stephen Doi, Managing Partner of global law firm Squire Sanders.  The firm has 32 offices in 15 countries.  Mr. Doi provided a candid view of some critical legal and business issues faced by foreign firms seeking to do business in Japan.

Our next appointment was at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

A visit with Katsumi Fujii, President of Avaya-Japan, addressed issues of product adaptation and quality as well as customer service standards in the Japanese market.  Fujii-san was joined by Takeshi Kase (Director, Marketing) and Atsushi Hirano (Manager, Solutions Marketing) to present Avaya's strategy and challenges in the Japan IP telecommunications industry sector.

Touring Tokyo - May 17

The weather cleared and we began our day of touring Tokyo with a 3 mile walk to the Imperial Palace and Hibiya Park district through Nihombashi; many interesting stops in route.  What

 would a trip to Tokyo be without a video game experience?

The first group photo was taken at the Imperial Palace.

Our next stop was the Asakusa district where many thousands of Japanese gathered for the annual Meiji Shrine Spring festival.  Called the "hottest" festival in Japan, it includes a compendium of traditional cultural events, performances and food.  It is said that "time has stopped" here in Asakusa since the Edo Period and our students enjoyed a

an afternoon of entertainment, shopping and eating.

The day concluded with a visit to the Odaiba district via a boat tour of Tokyo Harbor.  Odaiba is a huge amusement zone where student's enjoyed shopping (the 100 Yen shops was a ig hit!), delicious food and various entertainment on Tokyo Bay.  Keiko's family members joined the students for much of the day.

Tomorrow we begin three days of company visits.

May 17 - Tokyo

A rainy day in Tokyo but the weather promises to improve.  My 2 mile run through the Kayabacho district was wet but super fun .... I had a mind picture of doing the Tokyo 2010 Marathon.  Great to be in a big city environment again.

We will be holding a meeting this morning to organize for the day's touring activities.  On the schedule is Hibiya Park, Ginza and the the Imperial Palace area, Asakusa (where a major festival is being held), and the Odaiba district.  More later ...

Tokyo Sci-Fi!

I want to amend my earlier post about an "uneventful" journey.  On our arrival at Narita Airport in Japan we were greeted by a medical inspection team due to the current Swine Flu scare.  The Japanese our very concerned and take the threat seriously.  It was a minor inconvenience and added a touch of excitement for our students!

Japan - May 15-16

Our MBA trip from Bangor to Tokyo Japan was a long but uneventful journey -- roughly 24 hours door-to-door.  We were greeted at out hotel by a very friendly staff and Fujikawa family members were also there to say hello.  A quiet dinner at a local restaurant and everyone turned in for a good night's rest.