October 2026 | Familiar Faces, New Discoveries and the Joy of Connecting People
Looking back over October, I realise just how much of the month revolved around friends visiting Japan, gatherings over good food and wine, and opportunities to bring people together. It was a busy month indeed!
There were also some delightful discoveries of places I had never visited before, despite having lived in Japan for nearly 24 years. A couple were practically under my nose! It seems Tokyo, and Japan more broadly, still have plenty of surprises waiting for me.
From an Idea in Rotorua to a Global Women Study Tour in Japan
One of the highlights of October was seeing an idea that began as a conversation at a hui (meeting) in Rotorua, New Zealand, in May 2025 become a reality.
At that gathering, I floated the idea of bringing a delegation of New Zealand women leaders on a Study Tour to Japan to explore business, leadership and the opportunities for deeper connections between our two countries. Fast-forward to October 2026, and there they were!
The Global Women delegation began its study tour with briefings at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. I had a short speaking slot on “Women in the Japanese Workplace”, alongside briefings from the Ambassador, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and other New Zealand agencies, with plenty of opportunities for networking.
Lunch was generously hosted by ANZ Bank, where Claire Chino and Kaori Sasaki shared insights that left a deep impression on the group. The following day brought further conversations, including a session with NEC on its diversity programmes and a presentation by PwC's Chief Economist. I overheard one participant remark, "We've got to get him down to New Zealand to speak!" A lovely sign that the ideas were already travelling in both directions.
The delegation then continued beyond Tokyo for the next stage of its Japan experience. For me, one of the most satisfying aspects was watching an idea grow into something far bigger than the original conversation. I may have planted a seed, but it took many committed people, generous hosts and an enthusiastic organising team to bring it to life.
It was a wonderful reminder of what can happen when you share an idea, connect the right people and then give others the space to run with it.
Next Stop: Sendai and the Japan New Zealand Business Council
Another opportunity to connect people and ideas is coming up in November, when I will be participating in the Japan New Zealand Business Council Conference in Sendai.
This year's theme is Shaping a Resilient Future Through Trust and Co-Creation of New Zealand and Japan, and will be facilitating the first plenary session, Understanding the New Forces Reshaping the World – How New Zealand and Japan Respond Together.
I am looking forward to guiding what promises to be a timely discussion about the forces changing our world and how our two countries can respond together.
I recently shared some thoughts on LinkedIn about what it takes to be a good MC. There is much more to the role than introducing speakers and keeping an eye on the clock. Good facilitation requires preparation, careful listening, curiosity and knowing when to step forward with a question, or step back and let the conversation develop. I will have more reflections to share once the conference is over.
Read my LinkedIn reflections on being an MC: link
🍾Beyond Sauvignon Blanc: An Evening with Brave Roots
When we think of Marlborough wine, Sauvignon Blanc usually springs immediately to mind. But there is so much more happening in this beautiful New Zealand wine region.
October brought an opportunity to discover some of that diversity when the Ukrainian-born all female owners of Brave Roots visited Japan for an evening aptly titled Beyond Sauvignon Blanc.
Their winemaking journey across continents and their passion for exploring Marlborough's less familiar varieties made for a fascinating evening. I particularly enjoyed hearing about their approach to crafting wines that express the region's potential beyond its best-known grape.
My favourite discovery of the evening was the Albariño, with its zesty grapefruit, ripe apricot and distinctive sea-salt minerality. I could immediately imagine it alongside Japanese sashimi, sushi or tempura.
A lovely reminder that even in a wine region we think we know well, there is always something new to discover. And what a pleasure to support two women bringing their craft and entrepreneurial spirit from New Zealand to Japan.
🍢Tania in Town: Okayama, Kurashiki and an Old Favourite
Having lived in Osaka for four years, I still think of Okayama and Kurashiki as being relatively close. Travelling down from Tokyo, however, reminds me that the distance is rather different! Still, with my friend Tania and some delicious okonomiyaki waiting at the other end, it was well worth the journey.
We spent a wonderful time exploring, including discovering a new sake-tasting spot and visiting a shop specialising in repurposed kimono fabrics. A couple of purchases may have found their way home with us!
We also returned to one of my favourite yakitori restaurants, a place I have been visiting for more than 30 years. It is one of those wonderful establishments that survives largely through word of mouth, and I rather like keeping it that way. If you are heading to the area and want to know where it is, do get in touch. Some recommendations are best shared personally!
There is something special about returning to familiar places with friends. You revisit old memories while creating entirely new ones.
🍸A Step Back to 1962: Discovering The Okura Tokyo's Orchid Bar
Another discovery this month was the Orchid Bar at The Okura Tokyo.
The Okura has long been one of my favourite examples of understated Japanese elegance. Its generous spaces, uncluttered interiors and calm atmosphere make it feel almost like a sanctuary from the bustle of Tokyo. There is room to breathe everywhere you turn.
The Orchid Bar originally opened in 1962, taking its name from the distinctive orchid-inspired glass lighting and decorative artwork created by Toshichi Iwata. When the hotel underwent its major redevelopment, elements of the original bar were carefully preserved and recreated in the new building. Stepping inside feels rather like stepping back in time. It is dark, intimate and secluded which is the perfect setting for a quiet conversation, or perhaps even a secret one!
The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, so I began with a yuzu-based creation and finished with a divine smoky latte cocktail. Both were excellent!
Reservations are recommended, so if you are looking for somewhere special to finish an evening with clients, colleagues or friends, I suggest keeping the Orchid Bar on your speed dial.
🗼Rotary Dinner and a View of Tokyo Tower
As a relatively new member of Tokyo North Rotary Club, I had the pleasure of organising one of our autumn round-table dinners this month.
The idea is for members to gather in a smaller group, get to know one another better and discuss a topic that might help strengthen the club. Our group of 15 met at WAKANUI, where we enjoyed a special menu, New Zealand wines and Japanese beer, with a wonderful view of Tokyo Tower.
Our discussion topic, suggested by one of our veteran members, was particularly entertaining: Rotary expressions and traditions that we don't quite understand but feel we can no longer ask about because we've been members for too long! Oh, don't we all know that feeling? Every organisation has its own language, customs and unwritten rules. When you are new, asking questions is expected. But once you've been around for a while, it can become surprisingly difficult to admit that you still don't understand something everyone else seems to know.
It made for a lively and good-humoured discussion, with plenty of shared experiences and laughter.I suspect the lesson applies far beyond Rotary. Sometimes the most useful question in any organisation is the one everyone has been quietly afraid to ask.
And of course, we could not finish the night, without a group photo featuring Tokyo Tower in the background.
🎙️On Air: Career Mosaics and New Zealand Japan Innovation
October also brought some wonderful conversations across both podcasts, each exploring, in different ways, how people build careers, create opportunities and connect ideas.
🎙️Lawyer on Air: Finding the Mentoring Moment
On the Lawyer on Air podcast, I welcomed Sawako Kakutani and Hiroko Ochi for two very different conversations that reminded me how much the podcast has evolved over the years.
Increasingly, I find myself listening for what I call the mentoring moment: that point in an interview when a guest moves beyond recounting the stages of their career and begins recognising the value of the path they have built.
It might be a decision that seemed insignificant at the time, an unexpected change of direction, or a lesson learned through navigating several different organisations and industries. These are the moments I particularly enjoy exploring, because they often hold insights that listeners can apply to their own career journeys.
Both conversations offered plenty to reflect on.
Listen to Sawako Kakutani: link
Listen to Hiroko Ochi: link
🩴Jandals in Japan: When Japanese Scale Meets New Zealand Innovation
Over on Jandals in Japan, Jayne and I continued our exploration of a fascinating New Zealand Japan business story: Yamaha Agriculture's acquisition of New Zealand agricultural technology company Robotics Plus.
In Part II, we spoke with Nolan Paul about the development of Yamaha Agriculture's global strategy and the deliberate search for some of the best agricultural technology in the world. That search led to New Zealand.
Nolan shared insights into the challenges and opportunities of bringing three companies from three different countries together under one roof within a Japanese corporation.
What I particularly like about this story is that it challenges the familiar narrative that Japanese corporations need to learn how to work with start-ups. In this case, Yamaha actively went looking for world-class innovation, recognised its value and took steps to bring it into a much larger global business.
New Zealand is extraordinarily good at innovation and creating something from the ground up. Japan, meanwhile, has tremendous strengths in scaling, manufacturing, systems and global reach. There is enormous potential when those capabilities come together.
💠Listen to Nolan Paul: link
Last month, we also spoke with Steve Saunders, whose story provides another perspective on the Robotics Plus journey and the opportunities created by combining New Zealand ingenuity with Japanese business capabilities.
💠Listen to Steve Saunders: link
These are exactly the kinds of stories Jayne and I love uncovering: people, innovation and the intersections between our two countries.
👃Right Under My Nose: A Lesson in Seeing What's There
I'll finish with a discovery that made me laugh at myself. On a public holiday in early autumn, a friend and I arranged to meet for lunch at Shunbou, the seasonal Japanese restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi.
Despite having visited the hotel many times over the years, I had never eaten there. Or, as it turned out, properly noticed where it was! I had somehow convinced myself that the restaurant was in the same location as the hotel's teppanyaki restaurant. So off I went, confidently heading in entirely the wrong direction. Even when I walked straight past the Shunbou sign, I didn't register it. I was so certain I knew where I was going that the evidence right in front of my nose simply didn't get through.
Eventually, I found the restaurant, and we enjoyed a delicious seasonal Japanese lunch accompanied by a cold beer. What is not to love about that on a Japanese public holiday?
But the experience kept on reminding itself to me. After nearly 24 years in Japan, I have become very familiar with certain routes, places and routines. Sometimes perhaps a little too familiar. We can become so accustomed to what we think we know, that we stop looking properly at what is actually there.
It is a small example of something much bigger. Our assumptions can be remarkably persuasive, even when reality is quietly telling us something different.
So, as November approaches, I'm reminding myself to keep my eyes open, question the occasional assumption and remain curious about what might be waiting just around the corner, … or right under my nose.
After all, there is still so much to discover.
See you next month!
— Catherine 🌿