"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Laozi The wisdom of Laozi remains valuable in many ways. How do you interpret his teachings? The original lesson of this phrase is as follows; “Even if something is going to be a big problem, it is easier to deal with it early.” This is a surprising but original lesson. It’s because the original phrase doesn’t say “single step.” Instead, it says “beneath the foot.” 【千里之行始于足下】 So, to solve a big problem like a thousand

神出鬼没 Sinshutukibotu. A phrase we use to describe how our boss appears and disappears suddenly at the Genba. Taiichi Ohno was such a person. He would show up at the Genba without warning. Sometimes he would stand right behind you without notice. He was famous for these behaviors, and many people remembered his episodes. My coach was the same way. One day, my cell phone rang, and I answered it. The coach said, “I’m outside.” He was outside the factory without giving any notice.

While working in the factory, you might hear comments like “we didn’t hit the target because of the new hire.” That's not an issue. Why do we blame the new hire? Isn't the real problem elsewhere? 1. Problems Are Systemic, Not Personal “People do not fail — processes do.” A new hire operates within the system provided, including training, tools, supervision, and established standards. If a mistake occurs, it’s usually because the system failed, not the person. 🔹 Incomplete or

Flow works or operations—the core principle of Just In Time. The root of “flow operations” is Ford’s conveyor assembly line, which is undisputed. Toyota learned from Ford about the use of conveyor lines. However, the conveyor line spread to Germany, and the concept of “Fliessarbeit” or “Fliessende Arbeit” emerged. The idea is that by connecting the workstations and not using the conveyor, we can create a smooth flow works without stagnation. In 1930, this concept was introduc

5S outside Japan is often mistranslated and misleading. Especially, translating Seiketu as Standardization is frustrating. It's impossible to translate it that way. More importantly, why does standardization appear so late? In the early seventies, there was such thinking: “Standardize before Seiri Seiton.” At the start of the 5S activities in Japan during the mid-1970s, there was a man named Kameo Aoki. In 1976, Aoki wrote a series of monthly articles for the magazine “Manage

We learn something new every day. Our brain doesn’t switch from learning mode to any other mode. We keep learning all the time. If so, we must not send conflicting messages about what has been trained and daily practices. Otherwise, what has been taught becomes just a waste. A factory held a training on Muda, especially “Over-production.” The next day, a worker ignored a Kanban and kept running the machine. Since the machine kept operating, the OEE increased. He received a co

In the Toyota Production System, Andon is the light that turns on when a worker needs assistance. The yellow lamp signals for help, while the red lamp indicates that the line has stopped. The andon is a lamp that originated in China and came to Japan. It had a plate to hold the oil and a core to place the fire for lighting. As the lamp became popular in Japan during the Edo era, the Japanese began to surround it with paper to protect it from the wind, which could extinguish t

When we talk about flow, we refer to “one-piece flow” or “continuous flow.” Reading articles by Kaneyoshi Kusunoki, the second head of...

Taiichi Ohno said someone was “scolded.” You’ll probably see a sentence like this in many publications. The Japanese word behind "scold”...

In my last post, I shared the phrase, “Manufacturing is about human development.” 【ものづくりは人づくり】 When people hear this phrase, they often...

ものづくりは人づくり Mono-dukuri Wa Hito-dukuri. Manufacturing is about human development. This is a core philosophy of Toyota, but it was...

In today’s “lean” world, the phrase “respect for people” is very popular. This likely results from a poor translation of The Toyota Way...

The foundation of the Toyota Production System is built on the Theory of Good Human Nature. Kaneyoshi Kusunoki Mr. Kusunoki is a key...

One of the seven types of Muda, as defined by Taiichi Ohno. But these days, when I look up the seven types of waste, we often see...

Many visitors travel to Japan. A common topic discussed is the punctuality of the trains. The railways run on precise schedules. Many...

“Hurry to do good.” 【善は急げ】 This is a Japanese saying. We can translate it as “rush” or "prioritize," or as “do not hesitate to do good.”...

“Mottainai” There was a discussion at a Japanese manufacturing company about how to translate this concept. Some people may have heard...

There is this fantasy called “Perfect time to do Kaizen.” Those who believe in this fantasy think that if they wait, the right moment to...

Supply chain. The impression behind the word 'chain' feels outdated in today’s setting. In a fast-changing environment, the chain isn't...

“The objective of the Toyota Production System is to make someone’s work easier.” Akio Toyoda It is a quote we should reflect on more...