From November 14th to November 18th, we had the incredible opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Japan.
In this blog, we’ll share all the highlights of our journey, including the flights, an exciting promotional weekend, and much more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy reading this story written by Wout!
To the unknown
And then came the big day—November 14th, 2024. We set off bright and early from Eindhoven Central, catching the train to Schiphol at 7:00 AM.
Our flight to Hong Kong was a breeze. Even with a quick layover, we made it to the next gate without a hitch.
Our flight to Japan, however, decided to keep things interesting with a one-hour delay. We were stuck waiting on the plane, which, let’s be honest, is not exactly anyone’s dream layover. But hey, once we finally took off, it was all smooth sailing—or flying, rather.
At 2:30 PM Japanese time, we touched down at Tokyo International Airport. From there, we hopped on a train to our hotel, conveniently located near the spot where we’d be showcasing our products.
Product showcasing
On Saturday and Sunday, we had planned a product showcase near the Fuji Speedway Circuit—a location we were very aware of, thanks to the roaring races in the background. Let’s just say the noise was our unofficial soundtrack for the weekend.
The showcase was part of the Toyota Mobility for All event we entered where our goal was to prepare the Hable One and Hable Easy for Japanese users.
During the event, one of us covered everything about the Hable One, while the other passionately explained the Hable Easy.
The demos were scheduled to start at 10:00 AM, but the first official one on Saturday was at 1:00 PM.
Thankfully, a few spontaneous visitors dropped by in the morning, giving us a glimpse of what was to come.
We noticed that after the first demo, things started flowing much easier. It’s like you suddenly unlock the “Demo Master” mode: you get used to the space, find your rhythm, and develop a smooth game plan.
Sunday blessed us with perfect weather, which seemed to lure out more visitors. It was noticeably busier, both with official demos and impromptu chats.
People lingered longer at our stand and took their time exploring the products—perhaps the sunshine had something to do with it. Or maybe our stand had a magical aura that day. Who knows?
We received some incredibly enthusiastic feedback, especially about the Hable Easy. By the end of the weekend, we could confidently say it was a roaring success—both in business and in surviving the decibel levels of the racetrack.
The day in Tokio
On Monday, we left our hotel and traveled to Tokyo by bullet train, which can reach incredible speeds of 500 to 600 km/h.
The journey was smooth and gave us a great view of the countryside speeding by. Once in Tokyo, we had a meeting with our new distributor for Japan.
Despite a few challenges—our AI interpreter was so bad it deserved to be fired on the spot—the meeting went surprisingly well.
Tokyo's train station was massive compared to those in the Netherlands, a true hub of activity and energy.
That day, we walked as much as we normally would in an entire week. After the meeting, we had the chance to do some sightseeing, including visiting the world’s busiest crosswalk at Shibuya.
It was an unforgettable experience to see such a vibrant and bustling part of the city.
Although we only spent one day in Tokyo, as our flight was scheduled for Tuesday, we thoroughly enjoyed the chance to experience the energy and scale of such a sprawling metropolis.
It’s a city unlike any other, and the trip left us with lasting memories.
Back to the Netherlands
Tuesday marked the day we left Japan. Our flight from Japan to Hong Kong was scheduled for 4:00 PM, giving us some much-needed downtime before heading to the airport. Both flights—from Japan to Hong Kong and then from Hong Kong to Schiphol—went flawlessly.
The three-hour layover in Hong Kong was a breeze, but there was one thing worth griping about: the flying time.
On our outbound flight to Hong Kong, the journey took 11 hours, which was already long enough.
But coming back? A whopping 14 hours! Why does it always feel like time slows down when you just want to get home? It’s like the universe conspires to make you appreciate your own bed more.
We landed at 6:00 AM Dutch time, greeted by classic Dutch hospitality: cold, rainy weather and train strikes.
Welcome home, right? After navigating the final stretch of our journey, we were thrilled to sink our teeth into a proper croissant—something we didn’t realize we missed so much after eating mountains of rice.
By the time we finally got home, we were utterly exhausted but incredibly relieved. There’s nothing quite like that first moment back, even if it comes with jet lag and a reminder that umbrellas are a Dutch essential.
We had an absolutely amazing time in Japan—truly an experience that not everyone gets to say they’ve had. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed reading the article as much as we enjoyed writing it (and living it!). See you in the next one—don’t miss it, or we might just start sending you postcards. 😉