Talent Management & Development Journey to Japan

​led by China Gorman and Gerry Crispin

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Depart for Japan
Depart from Los Angeles and make your way to Tokyo, Japan.

Day 02: Welcome to Tokyo
Upon arrival, the group will be met and transferred for check-in at your lovely local hotel.
Depending on your arrival time all travelers will gather this evening (or following morning) with your national guide and receive further information on the program and today’s activities.

Enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel.​
Overnight:  Keio Plaza Hotel​
Meals: Dinner

Day 03: Cultural Exploration Tokyo

Today explore magnificent Tokyo; start with a visit to the Imperial Palace Plaza, the gateway to the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. From this vantage outside the palace, you can enjoy the public park and a photo opportunity of the palace. Continue onward to Asakusa Kannon Temple, one of Tokyo’s most colorful and popular. Dating back to 645, it is also the city’s oldest. Outside the outer gate, you will stroll through Nakamise shopping street.

Take in the views as you visit the world’s highest free-standing broadcasting tower. A visit to Tokyo Skytree will give you a chance to wander the sky walk, the highest in the world at 450 meters, and enjoy the incredible views.

Take part in a traditional tea ceremony, one of the most representative forms of Japanese beauty. Participating in a ceremony is one of the best ways to get a sense of Japanese spirituality.
Lunch and dinner will be provided today.
Overnight:  Keio Plaza Hotel​
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 04: Tokyo - Professional Exchange

Professional members of the program will interact with local HR business and talent management professionals today including potential hosts such as the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and Recruit Holdings Ltd.

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Journey Mission:The primary objective for this trip is to learn how employers, government organizations and universities are preparing incoming workers into the economy. We will also focus on how employers are dealing with current (and planning for future) demographic shifts within the national workforce; understand how the Japanese government plans for the future of the workforce and how it is assisting employers; and understand how global economic developments impact national workforce planning.

Begin a dialogue around:

• What role does the government play in workforce development?
  
• What role does the education system play in workforce development?
  
• What roles do employers play in workforce development?
  
• Do the government, education system and employers work together on workforce issues – if so, how? If not, why?
  
  

Guest program

Today accompanying guests will explore the Nihon Minka-en open air museum with a local guide. Minkaen is a splendid open-air folk house museum, located in Kawasaki city, adjacent to Metropolitan Tokyo. It is known for the remarkable collection of old Japanese folk houses, farms and merchant houses. After lunch head to Shibuya and walk to Harajuku seeing the famed intersection. Enjoy some time to shop in Harajuku and Omotesando area before returning to the hotel. Travel like the locals today via public transport with your local guide.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon with dinner by individual arrangement.
Overnight:  Keio Plaza Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 05: Tokyo- Continue your professional meetings
Today, continue your professional exchange with visits to a variety of local businesses and continue your discussions with their HR staff.

Discussions will focus on:

• What is the current method of workforce planning in Japan?
• Given the demographic shifts in Japan, what do workers, employers and government leaders think about the future of Japanese business in relations to balancing work, family and community?
• Japanese technology companies have been in the forefront of innovation. Do current demographic and economic realities put this at risk?
  

Guest program
Guests will start the day visiting the Fukagawa-Edo Museum, which houses a life-size reproduction of a prosperous Fukugawa neighborhood, with 11 full-scale replicas of Japanese homes, tenements, inns, a watchtower, and shops selling vegetables, rice, and fish. After lunch visit the Kiyosumi Gardens and Nezu Museum. Nezu Museum showcases calligraphy, painting, sculpture, metalwork and arms, ceramics, lacquer, bamboo crafts, textiles, and archaeological works.

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Lunch will be provided this afternoon with dinner by individual arrangement.​
Overnight: Keio Plaza Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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Day 06: Day trip to Mt. Fuji & Lake Ashi
After breakfast, head to the train station and take a bullet train to Odawa Station to begin your explorations of Mt. Fuji’s 5th station, the Hakone Mt. Konagatake Ropeway and a cruise on Lake Ashi. Lunch will be provided this afternoon before you return to the train station for your return to Tokyo.

A late dinner is on your own arrangement this evening with some leisure time.
Overnight: Keio Plaza Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 07: Professional Meetings & Transfer to Chiba Prefecture
Today, finish your professional exchange with a morning visit to a final local business or HR organization to wrap up your interaction with the local HR staff.

Guest program
Accompanying guests will have the morning free to explore independently and pack for your departure from Tokyo this afternoon.

Lunch is by individual arrangement this afternoon.

Depart Tokyo and head into the countryside where you will check into your homestay accommodations (accommodate 4-5 people per home). Note: You will be sleeping on traditional tatami mats during your stay.

The afternoon will be spent with your homestay families on their farms. Spend time helping them with simple chores and preparing food for dinner.

Dine with your host families this evening and enjoy the flavors of the local food.
Overnight: Minpaku (traditional family home)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 08: Continue homestay experience
Today the group will take part in a morning of teambuilding and community activities. The experience is sure to be thrilling and a highlight of your journey.

Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant this afternoon. Later today, you may rejoin your host family or participate in a local craft project with community members – fit right in as you join locals and see just how life is lived in rural Japan.

You will dine with your host families this evening.
Overnight:  Minpaku (traditional family home)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 09: Return to Tokyo
Say goodbye to your homestay families this morning. Return to Tokyo to visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine and further explore Tokyo. Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine and is dedicated to Japan's ancient original religion, and it is deeply rooted in the way of Japanese life.

Enjoy some time this afternoon to explore independently with lunch by individual arrangement in Harajuku & Omotesando shopping areas before returning to the hotel for check in.

Say goodbye as you reflect and share memories over a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight:  Keio Plaza Hotel
Meals: Breakfast,  Farewell Dinner

Day 10: Return to Los Angeles, California
Say goodbye to Japan and all of your new friends and business colleagues! Your guide will accompany you to the local airport for your flight back to Los Angeles.

Note: It is a 80-120 minutes from central Tokyo to the International airport depending on traffic.

Meals: Breakfast

Please note: All itineraries are subject to change based on availability of hotels, flights and hosting organizations at the time of finalization of booking. Comparable meetings and activities will be arranged should an itinerary change be necessary. 30 days before departure, a finalized itinerary will be available and reflect final details.

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On our Talent Management & Development Journey to Japan you will interact with HR professionals from a variety of companies and organizations like the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to learn about their current hiring and management practices as well as how they are influencing future planning and guiding investment. Meet with HR management staff at companies such as Recruit Holdings, who got their start as a provider of HR services in Japan. Gain a unique international perspective through firsthand, personal insight with local HR colleagues while interacting in small group settings with experts in your field. Explore the highlights of Tokyo, ride a bullet train and attend a traditional tea ceremony. Immerse yourself in local life staying in a local minpaku (homestay) for two nights to enjoy the hospitality of local family while you explore the Chiba Prefecture.

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Call Us 1-888-747-7501

Japan: Tokyo & Chiba Prefecture | 10 days | November 10-19, 2017 | $6,599

​What's Included

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Leader Spotlight:  China Gorman and Gerry Crispin

China Gorman is a high-profile global business executive with extensive experience in growing high-performing, mission-driven organizations within the competitive human capital management (HCM) sector. She is an expert in leading organizations through dramatic turnarounds during periods

of rapid growth and through economic

recessions with exceptional results.

 - Author of the popular blog, Data Point 

Tuesday (www.chinagorman.com), she 

brings interesting, relevant                                                           and actionable data and analysis to

HR practitioners all over the world.

Gerry Crispin is an HR professional and a life-long student of the recruiting process, recognized internationally for his views and written commentary on employment strategy, hiring process and staffing technology.  His passion is to understand how firms

design and build recruiting processes,

the technology to enhance them and the

systems to manage them.

- 1996, he co-founded CareerXroads 

(www.CareerXroads.com), an

international consulting practice that

facilitates a dialogue between company

recruiting leaders.