On November 21, 2025, students from the Master’s Program in Economic Development (MPED) at Ritsumeikan University BKC conducted an academic study tour to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya. The purpose of the visit was to deepen students’ understanding of industrial development, technological capability building, and the historical foundations of Japan’s manufacturing competitiveness.

The tour began in the Textile Machinery Pavilion, where students examined Toyota’s origins as a producer of textile machinery in the early 20th century. Through demonstrations of Sakichi Toyoda’s Type G automatic loom and other pioneering technologies, participants learned how Toyota’s early innovations embodied principles of automation, efficiency, and quality control. This historical foundation illustrated how capability accumulation in one sector can enable a successful transition into higher-value manufacturing industries.

Students then explored the museum’s Automobile Pavilion, which traces Toyota’s technological evolution from its first passenger vehicles to state-of-the-art hybrid, electric, and hydrogen mobility systems. The exhibits highlighted key stages of engineering advancement and showcased the company’s long-term commitment to sustainable mobility and environmental responsibility. These displays allowed students to observe how incremental innovation, standardization, and engineering discipline contribute to long-run industrial upgrading.

A central component of the tour was the museum’s detailed presentation of the Toyota Production System (TPS). Through visual models, machinery displays, and interactive explanations, students gained insight into core TPS principles—including Just-in-Time, Jidoka, and Kaizen—and how these practices shaped Toyota’s organizational culture. The museum provided a unique opportunity to understand the historical evolution of TPS, linking its origins in textile machinery to contemporary automobile manufacturing processes.

From an academic standpoint, the study tour reinforced core themes in development economics, such as productivity enhancement, technological learning, and institutional efficiency. Observing Toyota’s historical trajectory allowed students to contextualize Japan’s industrial success within broader frameworks of economic development and to identify practical lessons relevant for emerging economies seeking to develop their manufacturing sectors.

Overall, the visit to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology provided MPED students with valuable insights into the interplay between historical innovation, technological upgrading, and modern industrial competitiveness. The tour served as an important experiential learning opportunity, complementing classroom instruction with real-world examples of industrial evolution and organizational discipline.