Day 3

Having just received a few Infineon pics from Kawasaki's PR agency, I'd like to start this entry with a photo of myself and the aforementioned red '07 ZX-6R in happier times. Sigh.

And on: Day three comprised two more tours of which I currently have no photographic evidence, but I shudder with pleasure at the thought that with the next delivery from Kawi PR, I will perhaps be able to show off jacketed, hard-hatted, and ear-pieced group shots—the picture definition of "esprit de dork"—as well as monumentally impressive images of giant ships whose hallowed interiors feature engines the size of submarines (KHI also makes submarines, actually) with spare pistons hanging on the wall that dwarf me by a factor of three. (Please see very excellent sketch below.)

Touring the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corp.'s Kobe Works shipyard was an exercise in Lilliputian star-gazing (or at least looking up a lot), with the awe enhanced by the buzz of fresh-paint inhalation. It was also a look at the birthplace of today's KHI, since it was the first enterprise undertaken by founder Shozo Kawasaki, who opened the Kawasaki Tsukiji Shipyard in 1878. By 1902 the company had completed an enormous dry dock—a huge, risky undertaking that took three times longer than expected—which guaranteed the company's future by allowing them to ramp up capacity (accommodating ships up to 6,000 gross tonnage), and which is now listed as a "Registered Tangible Cultural Asset of Japan."

From there it was on to the Hyogo Works, another venerable piece of the KHI empire. Opened in 1906, it today manufacturers "rolling stock," which makes me and every other second-grader imagine cows rolling down a hill but puts normal people in mind of sleek, high-tech bullet trains and even New York City subway cars. Again, no pictures allowed, but please enjoy this sketch of men welding an almost-completed Shinkansen 700 model.

The real highlight of the day was yet to come, however—and stinky, rain-soaked, bedraggled journalists were strongly encouraged to shower for it. Dinner that evening was on the 32nd floor of KHI's Kobe HQ, aka Crystal Tower, with Senior Vice President Shinichi Tamba and others. The view was incredible, the surroundings opulent, and the food was both never-ending and a never-ending source of amazement (a statement that's open to interpretation depending on the relative sophistication of your palate). It was great to finally meet our hosts, who offered us an incredibly warm reception and were happy to sit down and talk casually not just about their company, but about their lives, city, ideas, etc. Considering the surroundings, it was a really relaxed, enjoyable evening, punctuated by the occasional champagne-cup of seafood pudding topped with sea urchin. At right is a Sam Fleming shot of me with Mr. Tamba, whose open friendliness was a stark contrast to the buttoned-up demeanor often associated with top-level executives in Japan, where corporate culture is traditionally more formal.

Speaking of buttons, this photo was taken after dinner, hence my unbuttoned jacket. I was full of anything-but-seafood-pudding-please.