Below, Mike reflects on traveling to Japan on an assessment trip for Hiro Takeuchi’s Japan IFC: Tohoku; The World's Test Market for Authentic Entrepreneurship.

WERE YOU ABLE TO GET MUCH SLEEP ON ASSESSMENT?

The first few nights in Japan I probably averaged 4-5 hours of sleep – it’s really hard to sleep past 6:00am with the jetlag. I tried my best to utilize these early mornings to hit the hotel gym and go for short runs around Tokyo.  Later in the week it became easier, with my longest/best sleep occurring at a traditional Japanese ryokan.  My bed was a very simple futon on the floor, but it was great! The jetlag also affected my eating patterns, but the surprisingly high quality food at 24-hour convenience stores in Tokyo helped with that. 

HOW WAS THE TRAFFIC IN TOKYO?

It can be slow at times, but the drivers are extremely orderly, patient and law-abiding. Also, so many people seem to use the really efficient subway and commuter trains that rush hour on the roads isn’t as bad as you might imagine for one of the most densely populated cities in the world.  

HOW WAS THE WIFI? 

The wifi in Tokyo is extremely fast and highly accessible; in the more rural parts of the Tohoku region it is unfortunately not as reliable.  At the traditional Japanese ryokan in the Akiu region, we were limited to wifi only in the hotel lobby (and not in the guest rooms).  Maybe that’s why I had such a good night’s sleep while I was there...

WHAT WAS A TYPICAL MEAL FOR YOU?

While in the Tohoku region I ate a traditional seaside meal of Uni (sea urchin), Abalone (which was cooked right in front of me!) and lots of sashimi. In Tokyo I had a really nice Osaka-style meal with okonomiyaki (a Japanese omelet loaded with octopus) and Kobe beef! Of course, I also made a point to eat a huge and delicious bowl of ramen noodles in Tokyo. Overall, the food in Japan is absolutely amazing.  I ate very well. 

ANY FUNNY STORIES YOU WANT TO SHARE?

While we were in Tohoku we met with a potential project partner organization called MORIUMIUS, which is essentially a nature school that plays host to groups of students and also corporate teams seeking to experience nature, learn about the land and engage in team building exercises. As we walked through the property all of a sudden the project sponsor, Mr. Tachibana, clapped loudly and a HUGE pig came running towards us!  At first I thought I was going to get tackled, but the pig went right to the owner and just wanted her head scratched.  

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Pig at MORIUMIUS in Ogatsu, Japan.

WHAT WAS THE MOST SUPRISING THING YOU LEARNED?

During our visit to Sendai and the nearby Akiu region, we met with a potential project partner from Akiu Winery, and I was surprised to learn that it’s possible to grow really high-quality grapes for wine in Japan.  The project sponsor, Mr. Mohri, told us the grapes that grow there are similar to the ones that grow in northern Italy.  

WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN JAPAN? 

During a free afternoon in Tokyo I hopped on a commuter train to a nearby suburb and ate noodles with my friend from graduate school, Asumi, and her daughter, Amika! 

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My graduate school friend, Asumi, and her daughter, Amika.

ANY OTHER PHOTOS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

Here’s one with GEO and Japan Research Center (JRC) staff!

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Left to right: Naoko (JRC), Mayuka (JRC), Mike (GEO), Susanna (GEO), and Yukari (JRC).

OVERALL, WHAT IS YOUR “ROSE AND THORN” FROM TRAVELING IN JAPAN?

Rose: The amazingly kind, thoughtful and resilient people of Tohoku who are working tirelessly to rebuild their communities after the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

Thorn: Trying to find a trash can in public!  Where are they?!