Hopefully most of you saw my pictures posted from Japan.  It was a great,  eye opening trip.  As one exec said, "Japan is an audience segment of one- unique and should be treated as such".  Boy did I see that.  The culture is multi-layered and rich with meaning.  The technology, hands-down the most advanced in the world. A trip to Ahikibara greets you with 8 floors of every conceivable type of gadget (pics coming soon).  A few things I learned:

• Narita airport is about 2-2.5 hours from Tokyo. Pack a Bento box.
• Japan should be treated as a separate market with its own needs and opportunities.
• Politeness and etiquette is very important, more-so than the US
• Gaijin (foreigners) are expected to be unfamiliar with most customs, small attempts go a long way.
• Don't open the taxi door or close it.  It's automatic.
• Don't hand money to someone. Put it in the little tray.
• Our mobile phones pale in comparison. With less than 1% turnover, hundreds upon hundreds of dollars in subsidies are paid out to customers. A $10US phone in Japan is more advanced then a $300 smartphone in the US.
• Simple, clean UI often appears empty and feature-less in Japan.  Cluttered/compacted UI in good Industrial Design wins the day.
• A mobile phone should be a flip-phone and make an audible, tactile "click" when opened.  The bigger the phone, the more features you have.
• In Japan it's legal to rent CDs.  Everyone rips them and returns.
• Americans are too worried about Location-based services and privacy vs. Japanese.  Japanese already have TV and GPS maps built into their phones. This is very cool.
• Many Japanese snooze on the train in-between stops.  Perhaps it's because they work late and then many stay out late.
• Melatonin can really take the edge off jet lag and help you sleep.  I've adjusted both ways better than any other trip.
• Slingbox is hands-down the best thing for business travelers.  EVER.  I was watching local TV flawlessly from Japan in WMV9 from my TiVo at home. It helps avoid homesickness.
• MSN Messenger is good for voice chat but you must remember to bring a microphone if you laptop doesn't have one.
• Nintendo DS is very popular with older Japanese thanks to a new game called "Brain Games" that tells you your mental age through a series of fun little games.
• Harajuku girls aren't out during the mid-week.  Go see the Meiji Shrine. 
• The Fish Market & auction must be seen at 5am, but the market is closed on Wednesdays. Have the best sushi in the world with your VP in a hole in the wall with a long line, even if you don't like sushi.
• If local Japanese ask you where you're from and you say Seattle, follow up with "Ichiro".  Then they'll understand- the Mariner's player is a source of great national pride.
• If you learn one Japanese word, it should be "Sumimasen".
• Have a drink at the Park Hyatt, where "Lost in Translation" was filmed. 
• Pick up a Japanese Bullet Train (N-Gauge) model at Narita airport if you have a young son. You'll be the greatest Dad ever and hear about it for days. :)

Next up: My whirlwind "Circle Asia" tour next month- Seattle>Sydney>Adelaide>Melbourne>Singapore>Hong Kong>Narita>Seattle.  Over 27k miles in 11 days. I heard circumnavigating the earth at the equator is 24k. 

Geek dinner anyone in Sydney?