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After ten wonderful days in Japan, I'm now back home and just about over the jet lag. This is usually the point where I start wishing Doraemon's Dokodemo Doa (Anywhere Door) was a real thing. It would certainly make commuting between California and Tokyo a lot easier. If you've been following along on LinkedIn, you've probably noticed I've been posting daily updates from the trip. Between the GLOBIS International Alumni Reunion, G1, US-Japan Council Member Days, the US-Japan Council Annual Conference and related events, and client work in Tokyo, it was a busy and inspiring ten days. Rather than trying to capture all of that here, I'd encourage you to take a look at my recent LinkedIn posts if you're interested in a more detailed account of the people, conversations, and events that made this trip so memorable. Looking back, this week's posts all explore different versions of the same idea: the things that stay with us are often the ones we never saw coming. On Monday, I wrote about leaving room for the unexpected. Before returning to Japan, I spent plenty of time planning schedules, meetings, and events. Yet my most memorable experiences in Japan have rarely been the things written in my calendar. They're usually the conversations, introductions, and opportunities that emerge unexpectedly. The post explores why some of the most meaningful outcomes in life and work can't be carefully planned in advance. On Wednesday, I shared a story from an HRBP transformation workshop I facilitated in Tokyo. Returning to Shinagawa and leading a discussion in Japanese brought together several threads of my career in a way I never could have predicted years ago. The article reflects on the idea that transformation often starts with understanding the unique strengths and value we already bring to the table. For Fun Friday, I provided an important update on one of Tokyo's least celebrated landmarks: the Otemachi "Dark Tower." After spotting a crane beside the building during my recent visit, I found myself unexpectedly concerned about the future of a structure I have spent years quietly admiring. Sometimes our attachment to places grows so gradually that we don't notice it until we imagine them disappearing. As I look back on both this week and the trip as a whole, I'm struck by how often the best parts of our careers, our relationships, and our experiences emerge unexpectedly. We make plans because they matter, but many of the moments we remember most begin with an unplanned conversation, an unexpected opportunity, or a chance encounter that only reveals its significance later. Japan continues to surprise me in exactly that way, and I suspect that's one of the reasons I keep coming back. Thank you, as always, for reading. Warmly, Saskia
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