I don’t know where to start describing my experience, as emotions, right, deep emotions overwhelm me, not for the purpose of feeling sad or happy, but blessed for meeting great people on my way.
As it is true for many of us, people make the greatest difference to our lives, experiences, impressions over the situations, travels. My Tokyo experience has started with meeting Hideki Ota, to whom I was introduced by Makiko Inaba, a wonderful and brave Japanese lady. I was couch hosting Makiko in Almaty some time ago in her travels through all the «stans» and beyond. So when I decided on my trip to Japan, she was the first choice to ask for assistance in connecting me with cool people. So Hideki was references as a person with «massive connections» and truly he is. Having spent just a day with him I was introduced to over 20 people in less than 4 hours. First he took me to a start-up owners meet up, then to a huge dinner organized for my visit… Where I met Mana Ogawa, who is a founder of the Girls Bee community, helping empowering women in Japan.
Women’s role in Japanese society was a highly discussed topic during my days in Tokyo for many reasons. It resonates with me being a woman indeed, but also because Japan is a very conservative patriarchal type of society. According to the official data (2013) only 22% of all Japanese workforce are women, and only 7% of them take senior roles. In his recent «Abenomics» speech, Prime Minister of Japan, addressed this issue, but indeed, there is a long way ahead. Mana Ogawa’s managed community is helping women’s self-expression and realizing their potential. It was during which conversation she mentioned Sam Dabestani.
Today we have met all together, me, Toshiya (my friend from Harvard), Mana and Sam. It was supposed to be a brief meeting for me being introduced to Sam, who is starting up an online project «Riarumi» («Being Real You» in Japanese), which is focused on improving the equality in-between men and women in Japan. We talked for 2 hours which flashed. That was one those «special» moments, when you have an instant connection in the group dynamics, where a conversation captivates you, envelopes, carries away and along, a mesmerizing experience. You feel as if time stops, and even in a crowded cafe, there is nobody but you and the subject discussed.
While we have been talking about women role differences, I kept being impressed by the genuine, sincere, open views expressed by Sam in his support of women equality. And he briefly mentioned that his views are part of his religious views, which caught my attention. Sam is Bahai. It was embarrassing in way to realize that I have zero knowledge about Bahai religion, but it helped me being curious… so I kept asking. Apparently, Bahai is one of the most «democratic» if I may religions in the world, with the belief of one God, equality of men and women, science to go hand in hand with religion and many other quite sensible beliefs to my agnostic views. Besides, one of the most beautiful world architectural phenomenons «A Lotus House» is a Bahai temple in India.
Since every good conversation has good results. Sam has introduced me to a potential hero for my project, whom I am meeting tomorrow, the fact which lets inner butterflies out, for which I feel particularly appreciative to all in the chain: Makiko, Hideki, Mana, Sam…!
During the dinner followed, with Toshiya, who is working for over 25 years for a Mitsubishi Corporation, and admits there is not a single women senior manager at, he confessed that having a daughter, and after the todays’ discussion, he’s willing to make more contribution and change to the role of women in his company and/or after he retires. The dinner by the way was a delight, at the 46th floor, overlooking the night Tokyo.
Meanwhile, I am still having to write up the interviews from Korea… and keep you updated!
