Guest Speaker
Business Seminar
For Osaka Innovation Hub: Expanding startup businesses in Singapore
Sep 2018
20 startup entrepreneurs and students from Osaka Innovation Hub visited WASABI Creation as part of their one week study tour in Singapore. Tong (Founder, CEO), together with Yuta Morita (Intern, SMU MBA student) conducted a seminar for the group on how they can expand their businesses from Japan to Singapore. They covered topics such as incorporation in Singapore, Singapore's demographic, consumer behaviour, influencer marketing, popup store marketing, etc. The participants were very interested in these topics and asked many questions such as "What are the common difficulties and errors Japanese companies have when doing business in Singapore." Tong was glad to have shared his experiences and expertise in these areas.
Japanese Lessons
For foreign domestic workers & caretakers
Sep 2018
WASABI Creation was requested by a nursing training school to conduct Japanese lessons to its students comprising of foreign domestic workers and caretakers. The students are attending the school to step up their skills in nursing care for the elderly. As Japan is seriously facing the hit of aging population, and lack of manpower in providing care to the elderly, they have opened up working opportunities in Japan to foreign caretakers.
In view of this, these foreign domestic workers are trying out learning Japanese to equip themselves with the language skill that will enable them to work in Japan in the future.
Guest Speaker
Seminar to Ryokoku University: How Singapore's policies have shaped a multiracial and international society.
2 Sep 2018
A group of 40 students from Ryokoku University, Japan visited WASABI Creation as part of their educational tour in Vietnam and Singapore. WASABI Creation founder, Tong conducted a seminar on Singapore policies that have shaped the country's multiracialism, and built an international society.
More and more Japanese companies realise the need to venture overseas market as its domestic market continue to string due to aging population and depopulation, however there is a lack of talent within Japan who has the experience, skills, and know-how to bring business across boarders. We hope the seminar will be able to share with the students some ideas and tips on how to be a global talent.
Guest Speaker
Seminars to Business Schools in Delhi, India
Aug 2018
WASABI Creation was invited by our partner, Intraversity in Delhi, to conduct talks to students of various business and management colleges in India. Over the week, we visited and met students from Jaipuria School of Business, JK Business School, Institute of Technology And Sciences, and Accurate Institute of Management & Technology. We shared with the students about our business, market trends in Japan and Singapore, and answered the students' questions on entrepreneurship.
WASABI Creation is also in talks with the schools to work with our partner in bringing students to Singapore for educational tour and internship.
Guest Speaker
"How SMU MBA Students can prepare themselves in working with the Japanese?"
6th Jul 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by SMU MBA Class to speak at "Japanese Business Night". Tong shared about his experiences when he was working as a fresh graduate in Japan, and talked about Japanese business culture that is unique and special to non-Japanese people.
Tong also talked about basic Japanese business etiquette, such as exchanging business cards, and seating positions for Japanese business meetings. The MBA students shown great interest with many questions.
The event ended with a party serving Sushi for everyone.
Entrepreneurship Training Camp 2nd edition
"Partnership with SAI International College Bubhneshwar, India"
June 2018
WASABI Creation hosted 8 Indian students from SAI International College Bubhneshwar over 4 days for an intensive Entrepreneurship Training Camp at WASABI Creation's office. The students worked in groups of 2 on various topics such as coworking space business, India market entry, Japanese F&B market research, as well as overseas travel trends for India.
An extensive research in in these were done by the students, who also came up with creative proposals to implement new business into the fast growing market. Many presentations and discussions were held with the students to finalise the proposal.
At the end of the program, each student received a certificate of participation for their enthusiasm during the program.
WASABI Consulting
"What can Japanese students do to become international professionals?"
16th Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was contacted by a group of students from Tokyo University, who are interested to learn about doing business internationally, as they planned their self-funded trip to Malaysia and Singapore. A sharing session was conducted over web conference, where Tong answered questions from the students, shared his own experiences, and gave advises to the students what they can do to groom themselves into international professionals.
Here are the reviews and comments from the students.
WASABI Insight vol.10
Business in Japan~
"Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
1st Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong held a seminar sharing his experiences and insights on doing business in Japan, in particular on the topic of "Japanese Business Culture & Manners".
Tong shared from his own personal experience overs the years while he has been working in Japan, and doing business with Japanese companies. As he grew up and went through the education system in Singapore, knowing the language didn't seem to have prepared him enough to work in Japan as a fresh graduate. Tong talked about the episodes he had encountered all these years, and cover some of the basics about "Japanese Business Culture & Manner".
Topics:
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Japanese business culture 101, how are the Japanese thinking?
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Exchanging business cards
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Visiting & hosting a Japanese company
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Useful Japanese expressions for business
More information: Business in Japan~ "Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
Guest Speaker
The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore)
Feb 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore) to share about WASABI Creation's business and its expertise in helping Japanese companies go global
Tong shared about his past, present, and future projects on how WASABI Creation is bridging Japan, Singapore, and the rest of Asia in terms on Business, Culture, and Tourism. In particular, Tong talked about his observation of how many Japanese companies are facing difficulty in presenting their products to the local markets overseas, and what could be so the solutions to better communicating with local consumers and making online connections for building relationships.
About CLAIR, Singapore
日本の伝統産業
新商品開発：日本伝統工芸
日本に魅せられた手作りの時計ベルト
47Ronin浪人 腕時計ベルトは革や着物の織物、日本的な模様、日本全国から取り寄せた様々な素材を使って一つ一つ手作りされています。WASABI Creationはマーケットリサーチ、日本素材の取り寄せ、製品開発、マーケティングなど広範囲にわたりサポートしています。こちらの腕時計ベルトは、従来の自動巻き腕時計からアップルウォッチなどのスマートウォッチまで使用可能となっています。この数か月で40デザインを超える作品が出来上がり、シンガポール、日本、アメリカ、ヨーロッパなど世界各地から注文が入ってきています。
詳細はこちらをご覧ください。
日本伝統産業
京都北山杉 ～ 本仕込
京都市北部に位置する北山地方は、「北山杉」と呼ばれる杉の産地です。この北山杉は、日本の伝統的な建築様式である数奇屋に重用されていました。６００年の歴史があり、世界でも最も古い林業文化と考えられています。北山林業は、独特なものであり、その林業方法から、素晴らしい丸太を生産しています。また、非常に自然環境にやさしいものでもあります。
しかし、北山林業の文化継承者は非常に少なくなってきています。日本で住宅の大量生産が採用されたこと、また、その他の伝統的な林産物の生産が廃止されたことによるものです。幸いなことに、近年、自分たちの文化を再発見しようとする日本人が現われはじめ、輸出の機会も増えたことから、この減少傾向に変化が見られるようになりました。
私たちは、企業と共に、杉植林地ツアーを企画しました。杉の伐採・加工がどのように行われるのかを見学し、京都で生産される杉「北山杉」の歴史・特徴を学ぶツアーとなりました。
WASABI Creationは本イベントのため企画、宣伝及び運営を担当しました。
日本伝統産業
錦を観ながら交流会
２０１１年９月 京都の錦織の経験
錦はかつて、美しい着物を作り全日本に届けてきた京都の西陣において非常に重要な繊維産業でした。現代では着物の需要が落ち込み、多くの錦屋が閉店しましたが、何世紀にも渡って存続し、伝統的な方法で素敵な生地を織り続けた工場がいくつかあります。錦織の輝きを保ち続けている数少ない場所の一つが京都にあります。
WASABI Creationは、京都在住の外国人の為に京都西陣にある老舗錦織工場の一つにお邪魔させていただくツアーを開催しました。８代目社長に錦の歴史について講義いただき、参加者たちは伝統的な機織り機を使って錦織を織る経験をする機会を得ました。
日本の伝統工芸
和紙人形ワークショップ
２０１１年７月 文化経験
和紙はその品質の高さと美しい色合いで人気です。有名な折り紙はこうした特別な和紙で作られています。より高い次元では、和紙は日本人形にも用いられます。
WASABI Creationは和紙人形の師匠をお招きして、日本の文化に深く関心を持つ外国人に一日ワークショップを開いていただきました。さらに、ワークショップは１００年の歴史を持つ和室付きカフェで行われ、そこでの経験は本物の日本文化を醸し出しました。
WASABI Creationは和紙人形ワークショップの主催者です。
日本伝統産業
パゴン京友禅染 ～ 京都伝統染色体験
外国人参加者20名に伝統文化工芸を紹介するため、京都伝統布染会社パゴンにて、工場見学・体験活動を企画しました。この企画を通して、外国人訪問者が京友禅を深く理解することができただけでなく、日本の外に顧客を作り、売買を行うことができるように、事業促進を行うことができました。外国人参加者は、経験豊富な職人さんの指示の下、京友禅の手法を使って、自分の染物を作りました。
体験活動の後には、社長とのお茶会が設けられました。社長のお話からは、会社の歴史、染色手順、市場の変化に伴う事業転換、織物工業における新たな流行について知ることができました。
WASABI Creationは本イベントのため企画、宣伝及び運営を担当しました。