Japan -- a Nation of Vending Machines!
Japan’s First Sliced Apple Vending Machine Inside the Kasumigaseki subway station in the very center of Tokyo, a one-of-a-kind vending machines selling sliced apples catches the eye of passers-by. “We want people to be able to enjoy eating them as a breakfast substitute, or for snacks,” says the operator. The apples, cut into easy-to-eat sections, […]
Japanese people are good at "Reading the Atmosphere"
Japanese people in general tend to be somewhat reserved and prefer to avoid drawing attention to themselves. This appears to also be the case for those who just reached 20, Japan's age of adulthood. A recent poll by research firm MACROMILL found that 90 percent of the respondents believed it important to “read the atmosphere” […]
What is "Meishi"?
名刺 めいし “me-i-shi” Meishi (business cards) are indispensable for almost all kinds of business in Japan. Normally when people meet in a business context for the first time, they start by exchanging their meishi and then move on to the main subject. Nowadays some use meishi for their private affairs; personal cards look more informal […]
What is 5S in the Japanese Workplace? (2): "Seiton"
5S in the Japanese Workplace (2)— Seiton at the Ready Helping Suppliers Get the Edge 5S, often explained as Seiri （整理）= sorting, Seiton（整頓） = organizing, Seiso（清掃） = cleaning, Seiketsu（清潔） = sanitizing and Shitsuke（躾） = sustaining, is a workplace methodology introduced by Japanese businesses. 5S is based on fundamental Japanese “common sense,” which is one reason why they […]
Tomica's History, Japanese car toy
Tomica Minicar Appearing in 1970, Tomica greeted its 50th anniversary in 2020. The exquisitely-detailed, reasonably-priced, palm-sized Tomica minicars have been a long seller endeared by three generations of people with many of them being enthusiastic fans. With a total of more than 538 million minicars already sold, Tomica has been fascinating both children and adults alike. So, […]