Luis Cárdenas -12 May 2026
4 min read
When I was in middle school, my Dad enrolled my brother and me in a karate class at the YMCA. Our sensei would make us count to 10 in Japanese: Ichi, ni, san, shi …. I dreamed of being like Ralph Macchio in Karate Kid and being with Elisabeth Shue.
Back then, I did not know about Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement. Finally, in 2025, I had the opportunity to visit Japan and see firsthand the birthplace of Kaizen. This is what I learned.
Kaizen can be found in food. Convenience store food in Japan is actually very good. What struck me the most about this food is the packaging. On the left is an image of an onigiri, a type of rice sandwich. There is a special way to open the package, which is clearly described on the label. It reminded me of origami.
Step 1. Pull the middle tape
Step 2. Pull the corner
Step 3. Pull the other corner
Sando is Japanese for sandwich. These sandwiches can be found at the many 7-Elevens, which are on almost every street corner in Japan. They are cut into triangles, and the outside edges are removed. They are made fresh daily, and you can find various fillings.
Wouldn’t it be easier to leave them as squares and lay them flat without cutting off the edges? The answer is kaizen. The correctly sized package keeps the food from falling apart. It is transparent so that it can be displayed nicely, and you can see the filling. In addition, the package can be easily opened without making a mess.
Tsutsumi 包み, which translates to ‘package’, carries cultural significance in Japan. The word comes from the verb tsutsushimu, which means to be respectful, modest, or discreet. In Japanese culture, the act of wrapping is a "silent language" that expresses the giver's heart and respect for the recipient. I also noticed it in the hotel room with the neatly folded kimono.
In every detail, it is evident that someone asked themselves: 'How can this be better for everyone?’ Kaizen isn't about being perfect, but about improving. Little by little. Every single day.
The Shinkansen—the bullet train—is a feat of engineering... but also a feat of social discipline. Departure: 10:02. Arrival: 11:19. Not a minute more, not a minute less. Where is kaizen? In punctuality, in the perfect coordination, in the silence of the carriage, in the swivel seats that always face forward.
Not only is the Shinkansen highly efficient, but it is also a model for safety. They have had zero fatal accidents in over 60 years of operation. I am not an expert in train safety, but I could not help noticing one element of safety: the train attendant.
The attendant wears white gloves to enhance visibility for signaling. They ensure safety and make sure that no bags are caught in doors. They also confirm safety by pointing at clocks and screens in a technique called Shisa Kanko, which translates to pointing and calling. This method of gestures and vocalization reduces human error by employing multiple senses simultaneously. This is how it works:
Look: focus the eyes on a target such as a clock or signal
Point: confirm by firmly pointing your index finger at the target
Call: state the action out loud, for example, "Shingō, yoshi!" (Signal, okay!)
Listen: hear your own voice to confirm the information in your mind
The streets are remarkably clean. No empty wrappers, no spilled food or gum stuck on the sidewalk. It is also hard to find a trash can. As a tourist, it is advisable to carry an extra bag to keep your trash and “carry it home.”
Public cleanliness is no accident; it is a part of a culture developed from an early age. Every day, school children clean their classrooms for 15 minutes. There are no janitors; instead, the students and teachers sweep, mop the hallways, and clean the bathrooms. This moral education has become part of the culture and carries into adulthood. Shoes are removed before entering a home and some restaurants. Bags and purses are placed in special baskets to keep the aisles clear and safe.
People think 5S is just about cleaning, but it is more than that. It is about letting go of things that we no longer need. Japan is a small country, and they do not have the luxury of keeping things forever. They must let go of the old to make room for the new.
It sounds simple, but anyone who has tried realizes how difficult it is in practice. We often lack the discipline to sustain. Entropy takes over, and things fall apart over time. I have heard of companies performing a “5S event,” expecting to fix it forever, but they painfully realize that things fall apart over time.
Meiwaku can be translated as nuisance or inconvenience. Japanese society expects avoidance of meiwaku to promote social harmony. It is considered a moral responsibility. Some examples include:
Maintaining silence on trains and subways and avoiding phone calls in public areas
Arriving early to ensure meetings start exactly on time
Carrying trash home rather than leaving it behind
Standing on the side of the escalator to let others pass
Not eating while walking
It is a culture shock at first, but then one gets used to it, and after a while, it becomes pleasant. It is nice to be able to sit without having to listen to someone’s loud conversation.
I now realize that in Japan, Kaizen is not a fad; it is their culture. It begins with observing, listening, and having the humility to know that there is always room for improvement. And that, my friends, is perhaps the most valuable lesson I take away from this journey.
Many people think Kaizen is merely a business strategy. But it is much more than that. Kaizen is not about doing more with less, but about doing things better—every single day—with humility, discipline, and collaboration. It is a way of living, of thinking, of acting. I found it in a sandwich, on a train, in a smile.
Thank you, Japan. Now you know... where is Kaizen? Everywhere.