Toyota Design & Educational Administration

Today, Mary spent the day in Tokyo, her first day as part of the Fulbright International Educational Administration group. There was a very good speaker who discussed the Japanese public school system, including recent educational reforms by the Ministry of Education. It was fun to hear a theoretical explanation of the things we observe, given that there is an elementary school right in front of our house. For example, we often see kids out and about making maps of Yokohama or interviewing shopkeepers, and it turns out that these types of activities were recommended by the Ministry as part of the new "integrated curriculum" to engage students with their communities.

Meanwhile, Russ took Laurea to several rainy day activities - the Toyota Universal Design Center, Toyota "historical garage" and their electric car driving attraction.
Picture one shows the electric car Laurea and I "drove" around the test track (the car steers and drives itself). Picture two documents Laurea's NASCAR** victory. Pictures three and four show her trying out two chair designs - one quite comfortable, one like sitting on a big foam book. We also got to ride Japan's biggest ferris wheel today - so big it felt like it hardly moved at all. Finally, there also was a Toyota dealership, in case you wanted to take advantage of the design inspiration to get one of your own.

**Can anyone tell us who these people are?