Breakfast at the hotel is included in our room charge, so Yachin and I had the Japanese style. It was good, I particularly liked the rice porridge and ginger stuff along with the little floral herb...
We had 3 different "lecture" sessions at a nearby hotel. The first was the former president and CEO of DoCoMo a cell phone company here in Japan. He has some very interesting things to say, particularly that he listened to what his employees had to say regarding new ideas about cell phones and service. He also felt very strongly about the voice of the customer. He mentioned that the 4 keys to success are information, knowldege and the ablity to challenge the status quo.
Several of us had lunch in a little "hole in the wall/ground" mom and pop place. It was great food. Gabby helped us out on the ordering. The look on the women's face when she figured out there were going to be 10 of us was priceless.
The next session was three ex pats and there experience. This was a really good session and am very pleased that Jeff & Sully were able to get them.
The last guy to speak was from Bridgestone....we learned more about tires then I think any of us ever wanted to know. He did have some good tidbits about an almost unsolicted takeover of Firestone in America...they did buy them out, just not very nicely.
As for Shibuya/Tokyu/Japan. I can't believe how many people are in this city. And they all seem very polite and forgiving over our blunders, particularly as we walk down the wrong side of the street or stand on the wrong side of the escalator.
Oscar, Jason and Yachin and I tagged along with Gabby to a noodle place for dinner. The 10 of us (there always seems to be 10 of us). It was such a great experience. Afterwards the 4 of us attempted to go Tokyu Tower. We thought we had it figured out which way to go. I walk up to the kiosk to buy a ticket. Of course I can't read it so I just start poking buttons on the machine. The secuirity guard came over and asked me where I wanted to go. I told him and he took me to a different machine and showed me how to use it. We got our tickets and headed to the actual train. We thought we were headed the right direction, ends up we got on a line headed in the oppsite direction and an express. The Japanese line up in two lines at each door. When the door opens they all step to the outside to let the passengers off and then rush on. This line was so full we decided that if one of us made it one we all had to go. It was as crowded as everyone says they are. No one was talking and I was laughing so hard I was crying. I don't really know at what, maybe the whole experience. People were reading, sleeping (yes while standing) and playing video games. I was waiting to be groped but it didn't happen. I had heard so much about it I just figured it would happen. It didn't. We got off two stops later, thinking were in the right place. Turns out we weren't. Some how we figured out we went the wrong way. We got on the oppisite train and headed back to Shibuya. This time it took 4 stops to get back to where we started. (and an hour later). We then made it to Tokyu Tower with out any other problems.
Along the way somewhere Oscar picked up a warm chocolate milk drink. It was tasty. We all had to try it. As we walked to the tower we passed a grocery store so we went in and wandered around looking at all of the stuff. Jason got a beer to drink on the way. The Japanese do not eat on the street and they really don't drink anything on the street. But it was late and there was no one around. We walked around the base of the tower and then headed home. I picked up milk tea drink (warm) and drank it on the way home. I really got some strange looks on the subway...probably because of the drinking in public thing. I don't know how Starbucks does here with that problem.
Finally made it home and crashed at 11. I delayed the next morning's run with Patrick from 5 to 7.
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