Discover Tokyo with Lichi Translations: More Than Just Cherry Blossoms

Tiny Tokyo?

Tokyo is just a small village of 14 million people– you can probably see everything in a day or two. Yeah, right

Actually, it’s difficult to fully describe the immense size of this city, along with the vast variety of places and activities it offers. This city never seems to end, and just when I thought I’d seen it all, Tokyo seemed to say to me: ‘Honey-San, we’re just getting started!'”

After wandering through enchanting gardens filled with stunning cherry blossoms and exploring numerous temples that radiated peace and calm, I immersed myself in the lively atmosphere of local restaurants, bars, and bustling streets. Alongside all this sightseeing, I also had a packed schedule of many business meetings.

A translator is more than just a name in a database.

During my stay, I met some of my translators in person.

One memorable encounter was with Essai, a follower of the Makuya religion and a key member of my team. Having lived in Israel for eight years, Essai speaks fluent Hebrew, and recently collaborated with me on a complex legal project, translating documents from Hebrew to Japanese.

I also visited Nezu Shrine with our translator Masami, where we had an insightful conversation about the unique challenges of translating into Japanese.

And now – to business!
I thought that my BNI chapter in Nes Ziona, Israel, with 45 members, is really big. However, the Tres Stellas chapter in Tokyo (three stars or three girls named Stella?) has 240 members!

One of the main reasons for my trip was to attend an event celebrating this chapter’s tenth anniversary. They’ve certainly grown impressively in that time!

I also attended the BNI Japan national conference. It seemed like members from all over Japan came to Tokyo just to meet me—at least that’s how it felt as the only Westerner in an otherwise all-Asian audience.

It was fantastic to catch up with old friends from international zoom meetings and then meet them in person. I also got to strengthen my connection with Japanese BNI members whom I met earlier this year at the BNI global convention in Madrid.

You know how much I love networking.

It was fascinating to meet people doing extraordinary things. For example, Mr. Fujimoto, a narrator and voice talent, captivated me with his deep voice…Listening to him speak Japanese, I could easily imagine him announcing “Now on sale!”

At an amazing restaurant in Shibuya, I spoke with Sean Arita, a business consultant, about the importance of business cards in Japan. Unlike Europe, or Israel, where digital landing pages and apps are popular, the Japanese still value traditional physical business cards. Sean was particularly impressed with the unique presentation of my business card accompanied by a lichi-flavored tea bag.

For some great tips watch this short video:

I also met Daisuke Mishima who, in addition to designing kimonos that reach the best stores in Milan, provides a unique service engraving personal messages on labels of alcohol bottles for private customers.

Want one for your mother-in-law’s birthday?

Watch the video with Daisuke Mishima to see his colorful kimono:

I had the feeling of belonging to a large family, and my Japanese friends went out of their way to make my stay in the city pleasant and to show me all the “secret” places that are less known to the average tourist.

This time, I also promoted my clients’ products to the Japanese market!

Shmulik Landau is an Israeli game developer and marketer. We recently translated an instruction manual from Hebrew to English for a very cool game called GTRIX. Before the trip I suggested that we interest potential clients in Tokyo. Indeed, I presented the game to a number of business people and I hope that in the country of Pokemon, Dragonball Z and Tamagotchi they will also show interest in a game from a small country in the Middle East.

A customer interested in Shmulik’s game

Avishag Turk is a very special woman I greatly admire. As you may know, I’ve been swimming in the sea for years, but while I swim from one side of Palmachim Beach to the other in Israel, Avishag is having fun crossing the La Manche Canal and swimming around Manhattan. Respect.

When Avishag isn’t in the water, she engages in other unique activities. Recently, she created affirmation cards adorned with charming hand-made watercolor drawings. After we had translated these cards into English, I suggested she introduce them to a Japanese publisher specializing in affirmation cards, who I had encountered at a networking event in Portugal. I arranged a meeting with them in Tokyo, and they were excited about the opportunity to discover a unique product from Israel

Additionally, I gave everyone I met during my visit a card from the deck, leaving them with a beautiful, meaningful souvenir. After all, if you’re already swimming tens of kilometers in the ocean, why not cast your bread upon the waters?

A potential client interested in Avishag’s cards

Besides the business and professional meetings, I had another significant and equally enjoyable encounter. My daughter Gaya and her boyfriend Daniel joined me in Japan after touring Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos for a few months. Nothing compared to sharing delicious ramen and swapping stories with them—they recounting the paradises they had visited, and me offering a glimpse of the less idyllic reality back home.

With Gaya and Daniel

Tokyo is a vibrant city, brimming with endless energy and unique spots waiting to be discovered, beyond the usual tourist paths. So, if any of you need someone to market a game or something similar in Tokyo, just let me know—I’ll be on a plane tomorrow!

פוסט זה זמין גם ב: Hebrew