What I brought back to my office from Japan.

 

 

 

I left my hotel just before noon and I took a bys from Tokyo station to Narita airport. From there on WestJet to Calgary. The flight was eight dollars. I am right now At the airport lounge at the Calgary airport. My transit to Seattle Wright was seven hours from my arrival to Calgary. It's a long wait about. It's almost over. I will have one last flight from Calgary to Seattle in about an hour. I would not recommend this except I paid only $2000 round-trip from Seattle to Narita on business class on WestJet. That is less than half of what I usually have to pay for the business class.

 

 

 

Today is my last day in Japan/Tokyo after spending two weeks here and meeting a few people. I’ll have some homework to do once I’m back in Seattle. I was hoping for cooler weather since it’s mid-September, but in reality, the average temperature has been over 35°C (90°F). I’ll be returning to Tokyo at the end of next month, and I’m sure the weather will be much more comfortable by then.

 

 

 

One of the most important ways to have customers recognize the value of your product is through differentiation. Differentiation is the process of clearly showing how your product is superior compared to similar products from competitors. There are several methods of differentiation, but the easiest approach is lowering the price. This strategy appeals to price-sensitive consumers by setting a lower selling price than competitors without making any changes to the product itself.

However, price differentiation can lead to price wars, creating a situation where it becomes difficult to maintain profitability. For this reason, it is preferable to differentiate through factors other than price, if possible.

Next is “differentiation through functionality,” which is a strategy that enhances competitiveness by offering unique features not found in competitors’ products. However, these features need to be perceived as valuable by consumers. No matter how many additional features you offer, they will not increase competitiveness if consumers don’t see them as valuable.

So far, we’ve discussed price and functionality as methods of differentiation, but these are only basic approaches. The most crucial differentiation is “marketing-based differentiation.” Beyond price and performance, the true differentiating factor is how well-known your product is. Products that sell well aren’t always superior in terms of features or price. Typically, high-selling products are those that are heavily advertised.

Nowadays, advertising methods aren’t limited to paid advertisements. Utilizing social media and video platforms to raise awareness of your product is also a form of differentiation. The ultimate goal of differentiation is to sell more products. While improving product quality is fundamental, what’s even more important is how many people know about your product. Spending money on advertising can easily increase brand awareness, but in today’s world, true differentiation lies in how you can use the internet to raise awareness among a large audience at a low cost.

 

I have a live early at the clients office so I decided to kill time and have breakfast at the Starbucks nearby. This is not the cheapest or the best breakfast you can have in Japan but it's click and convenient spending ¥1400 which is about a $10 is not but at all. 

 

 

 

Good morning from Tokyo! The sun rose over an hour ago, but I couldn't see it due to the tall building in front of my hotel. It's already 7 a.m., and the temperature has climbed to 28°C (82°F). It's September 18, and Tokyo, like much of Japan, has been experiencing extremely hot weather.

 

 

 

The Tokyo subway is one of the most efficient in the world, operated by Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway with 13 lines. It’s known for punctuality, frequent trains, cleanliness, and easy transfers. Though crowded during rush hours, it remains reliable and tourist-friendly with English signage and IC card payments (Suica/Pasmo). An essential part of Tokyo’s daily life!

 

 

 

I'm staying at remm Kyobashi, a new hotel near JR Tokyo Station. I’ve never stayed at this hotel before, but it’s very close to the station. The hotel looks very new and clean. I’ll be staying for two nights, and then I’ll be traveling to Narita. There are a few options to get to Narita Airport from Tokyo, mainly by bus or rail.

 

 

 

To spending a few days With my parents, I am now heading back to Tokyo the last few days of work before I head back to Seattle. I would avoid coming to Japan in the summer to avoid heat.

 

 

 

Those are the restaurants that you find at Ashiya Station building. What would you choose?