3 hours from Tokyo - to the home of Toyoto and LEAN working

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Hi again everyone. Well a long day today - started at 07.30 to catch the bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya. A couple of things I learnt - 1. there are many many bullet trains (we caught 3 just getting to Nagoya) and 2. not all of them are that fast - in fact some stop as often as the train to Weymough from Frome! That said they are spacious, air conditioned, comfortable and when they do accelerate you can feel yourself being pushed back into the seat! Midday we arrived (without seeing Mt Fuji as it was covered in cloud) and were met by a lovely Dr called Kyoko. She drove us off to the local attraction (Shogun's palace) for a whistle stop tour before a quick lunch (another delicious, cheap Japanese soup) and then on to meet the palliative day care team at the local cancer centre. Another think on your feet moment when we were shown the programme (we had been told it was just a visit today) to find that we were guest presenters (our presentations etc are back in Tokyo!!!). In a couple of whispered conversations (sound familiar) we put together our presentation, delivered it and met a local TV journalist briefly afterwards to talk about DH. There are definitely some things that do get lost in translation as we had asked about today and it was "quick visit and then maybe a discussion". The team that we talked for seemed happy though and they took us out for an amazing supper (6 courses including a DIY beef, lots of raw fish and Sushi). It also turned out that they have modelled their new day care on 2 visits to DH and showed slides of their visit and the staff that they talked to - the reach of DH goes far and wide it seems! Now back in a new hotel and ready to crash - traveling in 29C in a suit is trying especially when the suit is designed for English summers and not route marches in high humidity - the shower tonight was the most needed and enjoyed yet.

Apologies but the WiFi at the new hotel does not like my mobile so no photos tonight but when back in Tokyo tomorrow I will add a bumper crop!



Hope everyone survived Monday and see you in a week! Wayne and Tricia

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