Sunday morning between 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. is children and youth's rush hour in suburbs of greater Tokyo area. It is the day for sports matches for kids who play sports. Baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, martial arts, volleyball and others, Japanese in general loves to train and play sports formally, and that creates this… Continue reading Sunday morning rush hour in Tokyo suburbs
Category: Culture Difference Japan Asia US Europe And All
Culture difference discovered by experience
President of a major global company, president of a country
Watching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's speech at UCLA for the inauguration of UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block, I started to think of the responsibilities of a president of a major global company and a president of a country. Both are ultimately leaders who's action and decisions affects everyone within his/her company or country. Just as with a… Continue reading President of a major global company, president of a country
Understanding Ichiro’s words through American master coaches lessons
My friend and I were having lunch on March 24th, and she showed me that the World Baseball Classic final game was being played in Los Angeles as we were having our lunch in Tokyo. During my teenage years, with an American step-father who loved to watch sports on TV, our family watched some kind… Continue reading Understanding Ichiro’s words through American master coaches lessons
The way Japanese executives think about company responsibility
I don't know what percentage of Japanese executives feel this way, but last week, I've heard it directly from the director of major Japanese companies, like I did from many Japanese executives before. We are responsible for providing livelihood for the citizens. We have to think of ways to offer meaningful jobs for as many… Continue reading The way Japanese executives think about company responsibility
Now it’s going too far the other way?
I don't think open plan in office works without having easily accessible private room or cubicle to use in need. Like everything else, it's not one size fits all. How the workspace should be layed out depends on your job. I thought of this because recently, I have seen several article that says open plan… Continue reading Now it’s going too far the other way?
Potential of Twitter in Japan
Uchida Yoko people thought it was another one of those crazy ideas I brought in. Rather than doing Q&A after panel discussion, I proposed that we set it up so that everyone can post question or comment during panel discussion to realize audience participation. I explained that people would feel freer to express their opinion… Continue reading Potential of Twitter in Japan
Toyota dealership visit in suburban Tokyo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectkobo/sets/72157612706079650/ Buying an automobile has never been an option to me since I moved from the US to Tokyo. Why would I want a car? Trains and buses are so cheap, they are everywhere, runs on time, clean, safe. Taxis aren't so expensive. If I needed to drive somewhere for some reason, I would rent… Continue reading Toyota dealership visit in suburban Tokyo
Review of the year 2008
Thank you for making my 2008 a wonderful year! It was great working together with my friends, colleagues and clients. Had this enjoyable year end meeting. A typical one we had at many cafes and diners at various places in the world.
Project Kobo Offices
Office is where people work together. I noticed when our team worked, 4 times out of 5, it was not at Project Kobo Kagurazaka Studio. It was far from my home, 1.5 hours one way. We LOVED Kagurazaka Studio. But it just didn't make sense anymore So I gave up the studio. physically, me and… Continue reading Project Kobo Offices
Sustainability effort: moving small office
I did it again..... I let a few months slip by without writing anything. August, September were really busy, then came mid October and nothing. So this is what it's like to be, affected by the economic situation of the time. Being a small operation, it was an easy decision to close my studio, especially… Continue reading Sustainability effort: moving small office
Companies that can afford to have uninspiring workspace
Companies that can afford to have uninspiring workspace Fear: Employees afraid to lose their jobs Love: Employees love their jobs, pay, status of their company or their position Companies that need inspiring workspace Attract: Employees with rare talents; employees to do dull, or painful work Impress: Visitors
What does productivity mean?
I noticed that I choose to write English entry when I feel like being philosophical or contemplative, and to write Japnese entry when I feel what I will write about will be pretty factual and not offensive to general public. Departing from Tokyo, I went with 2 of my clients to do some research work… Continue reading What does productivity mean?
Recent epiphany
After working on a project that demanded all my knowledge and experience of the past 40 years, I was rewarded with deep learning and epiphany. As I was reading Rachel Remen's Kitchen Table Wisdom for the 23rd time, I came across the part that described the work of business consultants. Although Remen was talking about… Continue reading Recent epiphany
Japanese boys addicted to PSP
My Australian friend once mentioned to me during his first visit to Japan that he noticed that eating is interacting in Japan. At many sushi place, you grind your own wasabi. We mix chopped nori, ground ginger to our taste at the table when we eat cold soba noodle
Personal entertainment devices
My Australian friend once mentioned to me during his first visit to Japan that he noticed that eating is interacting in Japan. At many sushi place, you grinde your own wasabi. We mix chopped nori, ground ginger to our taste at the table when we eat cold soba noodle
FUJIKO SUDA 