Nanba Note

NANBANOTE has MOVED to a NEW ADDRESS

2008-05-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your interest in this Blog. We have moved to a new address at

http://www.nanbanote.com

Here you will find Articles, Tip Sheets, Quick Guides, Interviews, and Videos that will help you learn

Nanba-The Art of Physical Finesse.

See you there soon!

William Reed

The Entrepreneur's Edge—Agility

2008-02-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

What is the Entrepreneur's Edge, and how does he or she maintain it?

How do you survive and thrive without giving in to competitive pressure?

What are the four solutions that help you achieve Agility as an Entrepreneur?

Visit www.agili.jp to find NEW content on:

Physical Finesse—NANBA

Personal Branding—MANGA

Resonant Words—MOJI

Flexible Focus—MANDALA

More to come!

What is Your Story?

2008-01-21T22:57:00.000-08:00

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and stories leave lasting impressions.

Why not tell your story through a powerful Visual Communication Tool that incorporates both pictures and stories, MANGA.

I have just posted to my site 10 panels with 8 frames each, telling the story of how I ended up coming to Japan, and what I've been doing here for the past few decades.

You can view the panels in order in a few minutes time, by clicking on:

ReedCasts

William Reed's MANGA Story in English

William Reed's MANGA Story in Japanese

And MANGA Marketing

Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did!

Nanba Run at Nihon Budokan

2008-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

Conducted the 5 km (3 mi) run around the Nihon Budokan today. Joining me was Mr. Yuta Iribe, and we had a great session on how to walk and run in a natural Nanba style, with great ease and no fatigue. Thanks for joining Yuta!

I had announced the event on my website under Nanba Event, where I will also be announcing future runs, if you are in Tokyo and want to join. There is no cost, other than 700 yen to rent a locker at the Runners Station nearby.

Today was extremely lucky, because just as we returned to the Runner's Station, NHK was conducting a news report on this new service.

I told the camera man I would be happy to make a comment if they wanted. He introduced me to the director, and they filmed my comments on Nanba Running and my experience with Runners Station.

The feature will be broadcast on NHK (Channel 1) in Tokyo, on the program Shutoken Network, on Thursday 24 January, from 18:10~18:59.

I learned that Runners Station is sponsored by Runners Magazine, and I'm pretty sure that they will be interested in my monthly Nanba Running events, since I will be using their facility as our base. Incredible Synchronictity!

Please check the Nanba Event page for announcements of the next session, and how you can join in.

The Screenshot attached is the Nike + iPod record of today's run. Beautiful weather, fabulous scenery around the Budokan and its surrounding park, and lots of discoveries on how to teach and do Nanba Running. More on this as I develop the program!

Seminars in Singapore

2008-01-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for Singapore! With some good press in advance.

Here is an article I wrote in advance of my upcoming seminar, which was published by Singapore Press Holdings.

The title is, Restoring Sanity to Your Marketing Mix.

Since the jpeg may be difficult to read, you can download a PDF of the this article which I posted on my website by clicking here.

More coming!

Seminar Trailer Preview

2008-01-16T02:04:00.000-08:00

I recently spoke to the German Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo on the topic of Guerrilla Marketing: Capturing Mindshare in an Attention-Deficit Economy.

You can still view the preview of that talk on a Seminar Trailer Preview which I posted on YouTube.

Click on Marketing Samurai to see the 4-minute trailer. Depending on your bandwidth connection, it may take a moment to load.

Further information on Guerrilla Marketing visit GMARKETING GENIUS.

If you are interested in this or similar talks, please contact me at willreed@agili.jp

William Reed

Run with the Elephants

2008-01-14T17:19:00.001-08:00

When you make a contribution to the World Wildlife Fund, you get access to newsletters and very cool photos. This Elephant I put on my desktop as a daily reminder.

We may be more than just animals, but we mustn't forget that our bodies are like animals.

Nanba Running is a way to remind yourself of that, and to keep in balance through natural movement.

If you are in Tokyo, check out this month's Nanba Events.

See you there!

Give back more than you take

2008-01-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

What happens when you take more than you give back?

Eventually the well runs dry. It is not that difficult to understand. We simply need to become consumers with a conscience.

What if we could turn around even a part of our high-consumption lifestyle so that we actually gave back more than we took? Wouldn’t that feel good?

There is a program which enables you to do this, either as a business or as an individual. It is called Buy-One-Give-One-Free (B1G1 Free).

As an author I have a conscience, a responsibility not just about what I write, but about the fact that publishing my books entails cutting down trees.

Through B1G1 Free, I found a practical way to reduce or reverse my carbon debt.

I made a donation to the Isha Foundation's Project Green Hands, through which I was able to affordably support the planting and care of 200 trees.

If you haven't already seen the new BBC documentary EARTH, on wildlife and global warming, then visit http://www.loveearth.com/uk.

Here you can easily donate to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect endangered species.

It is possible to think about your business in this way. By giving more than we receive, we may save the earth and ourselves in the process.

Teaching in Singapore & the Philippines

2008-01-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

This month I will be traveling to Singapore to conduct lecture-seminars for Singapore Press Holdings (Jan 25), and to the Philippines to conduct a seminar for the Philippine Franchise Association.

One session will focus on Guerrilla Marketing, How to Capture Mindshare in an Attention-Deficit Economy.

http://www.gmarketing-genius.com

Another session will focus on Agility for Mastery in Personal and Professional Life.

http:www.agili.jp

I will be introducing new content and products, as well as taking the brand to a new level outside of Japan.

Many good things to come!

AGILITY: The Art of Self-Renewal

2008-01-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

My latest book, AGILITY: The Art of Self-Renewal, was released in Japanese in December of 2007.

Energy, Awareness, and Footwork in your personal and professional life.

AGILI comes from the word Agility, the ability to move easily and quickly with both your mental and physical awareness. In the Martial Arts, it is the ability to perform freely under pressure, to improvise from a calm center. In business it is the ability to overcome obstacles and to make things happen. In your personal life it is the ability to remain positive and resourceful in your relationships.

The publication of this book in Japanese marks my 35th year of studying Aikido and Japanese culture. This book is a how-to manual on cultivating three strengths that can help you navigate the rough waters of life: Energy, Awareness, and Footwork. The book provides a foundation philosophy of Self-Renewal and Mastery, derived from over three decades studying the martial art of Aikido. It takes this philosophy into the practical realm of how to survive and thrive in your personal and professional life.

This book was written in Japanese, and there is as yet no English-language edition. However, this website will be dedicated to making the contents and applications revealed in this book available to people in English through newsletters, blog, seminars, and webinars.

For further information, visit http://www.agili.jp

Mandala Chart Magic

2008-01-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

In a world of rapid change, Creativity is more than a luxury. It is a basic survival skill.

Just as artists use various tools and instruments, creative thinkers also use tools to extend their creative powers.

I have experimented and received advanced training in various systems for expanding creativity, and found one that for me outperforms the others in terms of flexibility and productivity.

This system is called the Mandala Chart, and it was developed by my friend and associate Matsumura Yasuo, who has been producing products and researching uses of the Manadala Chart for over 30 years.

Although the method was briefly introduced in English by Michael Michalko, author of CRACKING CREATIVITY: The Secrets of Creative Genius, very little has yet been written in English on this marvelous method. Michael Michalko’s article at Innovationtools.com is a helpful introduction to what he calls the Lotus Blossom Technique.

I prefer to call it the Mandala Chart, as it is called in Japanese, and as a member of the newly formed association to promote Mandala-style thinking, I plan to become actively involved in its promotion.

Look forward to tips and applications to help you use Mandala-style thinking to enhance your creativity and productivity.

I will be presenting at the seminar launching Matsumura Sensei’s new book on January 23. For further information, check the Mandala link on my Mac site.

One Character Calligraphy

2008-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

In 1983, I took up brush calligraphy as a serious art form, writing a book about it in 1990 called SHODO: The Art of Coordinating Mind, Body, & Brush.

Since then I have dreamed of finding a way in which both Japanese and Westerners can appreciate the art of brush calligraphy. I have searched for ways to integrate it into daily life as design, inspiration, and for insight into human character.

Now I have found a place where you can go to enjoy exhibits of calligraphy for the modern interior, purchase or commission original works for your home or office, and even take classes to produce your calligraphy, give shape to meaning and carry a resonant message.

Carre Moji is located in Minami Aoyama, and I have already begun taking classes, through which I will produce one character calligraphy that fulfills my original purpose in making calligraphy culture more accessible to East and West.

Look forward to collaborations, events, and exhibitions in 2008!

Nanba Run with Nike + iPod

2008-01-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

What if there was a way to exercise with purpose and with pleasure?

What if you could set your own goals and compete against yourself, with the ability to track your progress online?

What if you could share your purpose and create your own community which could participate both online and offline?

Nike has joined with Apple to make this possible through a remarkable collaboration involving Nike Shoes and the iPod Nano.

http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/

You can buy the Nike + iPod Kit at the Ginza Apple Store.

http://www.apple.com/jp/ipod/nike/

I’ve started my own Nanba Running program, and if you are in Tokyo and want to join me, click here to find out about this month’s Nanba Events.

Rising Sun

2008-01-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

What better place to enjoy the first sunrise of the year in the Land of the Rising Sun?

Tokyo Tower, 6:52 am, on the first day of the year 2008. First a two-hour wait with the temperature just above freezing.

Your reward is to arrive at the observation deck to watch the earth turn and the cloud curtain drop, letting in the first light of the New Year.

The moment the light penetrated the clouds a chorus of amazement rose from the crowded deck!

The Japanese anthem then saluted the sunrise. A perfect time to hear this hauntingly beautiful melody.

Kimi ga yo wa
Chiyo ni
Yachiyo ni
Sazare ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made

May your reign
Continue for a thousand,
eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss.

Good things come to those who wait!

Welcome to Nanba Note, and Welcome to 2008.

William Reed