Japan

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What shall we bring with us, into the new normal?

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What shall we bring with us, into the new normal?

The future isn’t written yet. We co-create it with each other, sometimes deliberately and sometimes by accident. As we emerge from the huge disruption of the pandemic, what do you want to bring with you, from the time before - and from the time of – Covid-19?

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Silence, respect and slow ritual: some observations on facilitation in Japan

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Silence, respect and slow ritual: some observations on facilitation in Japan

In my short visit to Japan, I was privileged to be able to meet with three groups of facilitators: in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. Huge thanks to everyone who helped make this possible! These were evenings of surprising connections, open-hearted curiosity, tolerance of misunderstanding, and delicious food.

This blog post reflects on some observations and conversations about three (and a half) aspects of culture which may trip up an outsider coming to facilitate in Japan.

Everyday eco-living in Japan

Everyday eco-living in Japan

The loo with an integrated handbasin which drains into the cistern; the fifty-page guide to recycling and rubbish disposal; the tiny boxes you can put your leftover food into at a café; the handbag size hand towel you take with you to use in public loos… I saw a lot of things in Japan which we could usefully adopt in the UK.

A warm welcome in Kansai!

A warm welcome in Kansai!

What a warm welcome I have had in Kyoto and Osaka, from facilitators based in this Kansai area of Japan. 

When I knew I was going to come to Japan, to visit my daughter who is studying in Tokyo for a year, I wanted to make the most of the trip by meeting facilitation and sustainability professionals and learning more about their work in a very different cultural context.