Our first business meeting was at JETRO, or the Japanese External Trade Organization. This governmental agency offers services to foreign companies considering entering the Japanese market. The presentation was very informative and a great way to kick off our time here in Tokyo.
After a quick change back at the hotel we were taken to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo which has served as the emperor's official residence since 1968.The guided tour was somewhat brief and very controlled. The Japanese certainly have no shortage of respect when it comes to their heritage.
Crossing over Hibiya park in central Tokyo we arrived at the famous Ginza district in Tokyo. This high-end retail shopping center reminded me of the area in and around Taipei 101 although on a much larger scale. Our group walked around for a while until we found our way into the Sony building where we, for good reason, stayed for the next hour. Sony has 5 floors of showrooms where you can interact with the company's latest products. I especially enjoyed the 3D Gran Turismo driving simulator. I may return to purchase a set of high-end headphones.
For dinner, we met up with a few former colleagues of Paul and Keiko during their employment with Avaya. The dinner was an all you can eat/drink place that is very popular all over Asia. It was a great time of bonding and getting to know each other better..
*pictures to follow
The Sony store is a dangerous place for you... and our bank account :) ...But you do need better headphones. Sounds really cool so far cant wait to see the pictures.
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