Japanese family business with 850 employees studied at Harvard Business School：ハーバードが教材にする、従業員850人の日本の同族企業

2025.07.09 Japan Unboxed

Harvard focuses on Japan’s “ultra” long-lived companies・ハーバードが注目するのは日本の｢超｣長寿企業

Chie Sato, who has long covered Harvard Business School’s classes and training trips to Japan, says, “In recent years, there has been growing interest among students and faculty at Harvard Business School in Japan’s long-established companies.” What unknown strengths of Japan have emerged from the latest Japan training trips, classes, and teaching materials? This is about Harvard Business School’s annual “Japan Trek.”

— Japan is the most popular destination for Harvard Business School’s training trips. What do students and faculty hope to learn in Japan?

[Sato:] Harvard Business School’s student-led annual Japan training trip, called the “Japan Trek,” takes place every May, attracting around 100 to 120 students each year. The trip’s goal is to experience Japan’s history and culture. Over nine days, students visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and other places, experiencing everything from shrines and temples to museums, and even stores like Don Quijote and Uniqlo, as well as game centers — fully immersing themselves in Japanese culture.

Along with American students, many international students participate, many of whom are visiting Japan for the very first time.

One thing that impresses me during interviews with the participants is how they interpret Japan from their own perspectives, based on knowledge learned in business school or their undergraduate studies. Often, they analyze Japan in detail using specialized knowledge about railway operations, station layouts, retail sales methods, and more. I think it’s remarkable that they capture the essence of Japan from these viewpoints.

It’s also interesting how each student becomes fascinated by different aspects of Japan. Some ate ramen almost exclusively, others tried many dishes with shishito peppers, some became obsessed with analog crane games, and others collected station stamps.

On the other hand, a common experience shared by many is the kindness they received from Japanese people. Listening to their stories often makes me realize, “This is a good side of us Japanese.” I believe these interactions with Japanese people are part of what draws the students to learn about Japan’s culture.

— Did the Japan Trek take place in 2025 as well?

[Sato:] Yes, in 2025, the Japan Trek was held from May 21 to 29 as usual. But a major difference was that on the third day, May 23, news suddenly broke that the Trump administration had suspended Harvard’s eligibility to accept international students.

In response, the Japanese students organizing the trip spent early mornings gathering the latest immigration information and checking how many students wished to return to the US. There were worries that many international students might return home or that the trip might be canceled. However, Harvard immediately filed a lawsuit the next day, and the Massachusetts federal court issued a temporary injunction to block the suspension the same day.

As a result, only a few students returned home early, and almost all chose to continue the trip.

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