Arigatōgozaimashita IIM Nagpur!
It was 25th of August, the day on which we were destined to get wings. Wings to fly to the land of the rising sun. The moment was still sinking in when we stepped into JAL 740, the Boeing carrier that would take us over the Indian boundaries, the eastern neighbours, the all-time friend China and finally to the land of Jidoka and just in time ‘Japan.’ After an eight-hour air travel from IGI New Delhi to Narita, it was time to take the Narita Express to the heart of one of the most sought-after cities in the world, Tokyo! Bedazzled by the Tokyo station itself, we got a taste of how enthralling this experience would be. The capsule hotel, our abode in Japan, was an experience to cherish forever. The first evening, and we were set to meet one of the successful Indian entrepreneurs in Japan. He gave us some valuable insights into the differences between the Indian and Japanese styles of going about their business and doing their business! Day 2 and Day 3 were the days which we were eagerly waiting for. Toyota Production Systems, Nissan’s competition with Toyota are things which we at management institutes talk about day in and day out. But this time, it was time for us to walk the talk! The level of automation these two have in their manufacturing capabilities is simply majestic. I remember one of the games in which some four or five of my group members had to work on a large sheet of paper together. The game was interesting, which judged our ability to understand one another and our own hand-eye coordination. The challenge was not to get in the way of the other while working simultaneously. The same game was being played out on Toyota’s assembly line but on a chassis. The group members were not four, but eight robots spot welding every nook and corner of it. The way they bent, rotated without getting in the way of others was a treat to watch. Day 3 was also memorable because we took one of the many subway lines to Tokyo Disneyland! The rides were mesmerizing. I never took one in Imagica and Essel world, but when you are in Tokyo with friends like those, you just can’t stay out. At one point in one the ‘most peaceful’ rides I ever took, I remembered, ‘Judgement Day!’ The visits to Toyota and Nissan were the highlights of the first half of our tour. Oh, how can I even forget to mention it? ‘The Shinkansen!’ 275 Kmph and the cup of tea stayed still on that table in front of me, as if nothing was happening. Because my love for Indian Railways just can’t be washed away, here comes the next one. The ‘Rajdhani’ of Japan twice as brutal as the ‘Bhopal Shatabdi!’ A session by JR East officials at its headquarters gave us an insight into the transformation of Japan National Railways over the years. Drawing parallel between JR and IR was obvious, and some interesting questions were posed. The visits to Chuo University, MUFG Bank, Seven Eleven and Rakuten Inc. were planned in the second half our visit. There was something to take away from each one of them. Déjà vu! How can I can even forget it again, a trip to the cold country of Japan and the Hakkaisan brewery to taste some Sake! By the way, I am a teetotaller. Business conditions, management practices, technological advancements were obviously talked about in every visit, but what often came up was how the culture in Japan itself has shaped up all these. From punctuality to Omotenashi and from cleanliness to discipline, every quality of theirs is worth imbibing. We sometimes had to be conscious about our discipline. For them it is ingrained. In management practices, it's not just about the processes being followed, it's also about the people who follow them. Japan is fortunate to have the right combination of both. Otherwise, concepts like Jidoka wouldn’t have evolved in first place. Enough of Standard four stuff. Coming to serious topics, we strolled through Tokyo, did thousands of yens of shopping at Ginza, the place one should never miss, captured some million-dollar pictures from Tokyo Tower, visited places like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, and Asakusa and spent quite some time of our stay in some or the other train! We were also honoured to meet our Ambassador to Japan at Indian Embassy who enlightened us on how India Japan relations have progressed over the years! 7.15 am 1st September, time to board the Narita Express to the airport and head back home. This International Immersion in Japan as part of the PGP course here at IIM Nagpur was an experience which can only be described in some words (Font 12. Times New Roman), but what has been etched into our memories in those 8 days, one could only pray to relive it!!