travel

In this digital era, what values can physical bookstores still offer? In this post, we’ll look at the Japanese cultural mecca Tsutaya Daikanyama T-Site, which started a revolutionary wave of curated spaces promoting idea exchange, lifestyle exploration and rural revitalization. Its central promise is that visitors can enrich what they already know, and find some new hobbies at the same time. We’ll also look at how the company behind Tsutaya...

It’s often said that traveling offers atypical experiences that sharpen our senses and train us to be more adaptive with creative improvision. Far removed from our usual dwellings, we have no choice but to observe our environment more keenly for both survival and enjoyment. Our usual status quo no longer applies, and our eyes begin to take into things that might be deemed too bland or extreme at home. Specifically, the time you spent before, during and after a trip can be a valuable training ground for product planning and management skills....

Ask any traveler to Japan and they will tell you mouthwatering tales of what they found in convenience stores (called konbini in Japan) no matter where they go. In fact, tons of posts have been written about konbini food selections and how different they are from convenient stores elsewhere. These konbinis have, huge variety of products, from over 20 flavors of rice balls, sushi, noodles, salad, bento, sandwiches, mixed drinks, fried food, chips and cup noodles to fancy desserts, to daily essentials such as soap, shampoo, toothbrush, magazines, to emergency needs such as underwear and umbrella (I have bought so many transparent umbrellas over the years)....

The hospitality industry is making a strong rebound after the pandemic, and many hotel chains are now creating new sub-brands targeting a very diverse band of travelers. Recently I came across a new hotel brand B4T owned by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). In addition to the highly efficient train system they operate, JR East also runs shopping malls and hotels at train stations. Utilizing contactless self-checkin and checkout machine becomes a norm in Japanese business hotels these days, but what strikes me the most is how much farther the B4T chain goes by introducing cloud reception....