I'm thrilled to be back in Japan for the first time in five years. Today is the start of Katie Anderson's Japan Study Trip (learn more about joining her in May 2025). It's great to be here for another week of learning and great experiences.
Little did I know, I'd kick off the trip by nearly losing my iPhone on the streets of Tokyo–a mistake that ended up teaching me a valuable lesson about Japan's culture of trust.
I was able to arrive last Monday to enjoy six days of vacation mode time with some buddies who came from Texas. I appreciated the opportunity to be here with one friend who was making his first visit and another who hadn't been here in 30 years (and speaks quite a bit of Japanese). Japan is pretty easy to navigate via English, but having a friend who speaks the language can really help.
Getting here early also helped with the time zone and jet lag adjustment so that I won't be tired during company visits this week.
Meeting Up with Katie
Last Friday night, we all had a chance to meet up with Katie after she had arrived for her final prep and adjustment days. As my friends and I arrived in our taxi, there was some discussion about who was going to pay — and how. One thing that has changed over five years is the increased acceptance of credit card and mobile phone payments in what used to be a very cash-driven economy.
I was sitting up front and had my phone in hand, thinking I might pay that way. But, in some taxis, it's easier to pay via a special taxi app when you're sitting in the back seat looking at the seatback screen back there. So, I decided to get cash out of my wallet.
Here's my mistake: I set my iPhone on the front dash and grabbed my wallet.
I paid cash.
We all exited the taxi and greeted Katie, who was standing there. As we started to walk toward an izakaya to eat, it hit me.
I didn't have my phone!! It wasn't in any of my pockets.
Oh no!!!
I started to panic.
Crap, I will have to get a new phone, here in Tokyo. That might be a real pain. Yikes. How stupid of me.
Katie tried to calm me down by reminding me,
“It's Japan. You'll get your phone back, It might take a while. But the driver knows your hotel since he picked you up and he knows where he dropped you off.”
I knew she was right–stories about lost items being safely returned in Japan are legendary. I've heard tales of wallets and laptops left behind in cafes and found hours later right where they were left or held by staff. But in my panic, I'd forgotten all of that.
The only time I lost an iPhone was a time it slipped out of my dress pants pocket as I exited a taxi at the New Orleans airport. I asked an employee at the curb to call my phone almost immediately, but it was already turned off and going straight to voicemail. I knew that phone wasn't coming back.
But things are generally different in Japan.
Getting the iPhone Back
I asked my friends to call my phone. It was in vibrate mode (which can sometimes be loud) and the screen would light up (and it was dark outside). After a number of calls, the driver answered. My friend spoke to the driver in Japanese, and he said he would be heading right back. After these 15 minutes had passed, he was not right nearby. But we knew we could trust him.
In another helpful twist, Katie and I had previously shared our locations with each other via WhatsApp. So, she was able to see the driver's progress so I could go outside to greet the driver as he approached (and not make him wait since I was inconveniencing him enough).
The driver pulled up and jogged over to me with a smile from across the street.
He handed me the phone with two outstretched arms. I smiled and bowed repeatedly and deeply. Although I know how to say “thank you” in Japanese, I excitedly said,
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm so sorry!!!!”
He seemed unbothered by the whole thing. He smiled and bowed repeatedly, as well.
Reflections
This experience reminded me of how kindness and trust are woven into the fabric of Japanese society. It was a welcome and reassuring start to what promises to be a week of meaningful learning. I'm thankful for these aspects of Japanese culture.
And, of course, my friends asked almost constantly for the next two days:
“Do you have your phone, Mark?”
Yeah, I earned that.
I did implement one countermeasure: Keep my phone in my pocket during a taxi trip unless I am actively using it to pay. Or if I'm going to pull out my wallet, put my phone in my pocket FIRST.
Japan never fails to inspire, and there's always something new to learn. If you're interested in a deeper dive into Japanese culture and lean practices, consider joining Katie Anderson's upcoming Japan Study Trip in May 2025. There's truly nothing like experiencing these lessons firsthand.
But, please, learn from my mistake!!
Also, read more about this concept of service and respect via Katie.
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Check out my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation:
How would you apply pokayoke to avoid losing it again?
Yes. It has been effective so far:
I did implement one countermeasure: Keep my phone in my pocket during a taxi trip unless I am actively using it to pay. Or if I’m going to pull out my wallet, put my phone in my pocket FIRST.
I’m on my way home… I managed to NOT leave my iPhone behind a second time, even with more taxi rides, including some I paid cash for. Paying with my iPhone, when I could, was better mistake-proofing, since my wallet stayed in my pocket and my phone stayed in my hand.