In 2010 I spent five unforgettable months at the Business Engineering Laboratory (leaded by Prof. Nakano) in the Graduate School of System Design and Management of Keio University. During my visiting period I had the opportunity to get in contact with advanced Japanese technologies and knowledge in the domain of energy efficiency in manufacturing. With the support of Prof. Nakano, I also visited several companies and research centers that are working on energy efficiency and I discussed my research activity with professors, industrial experts and students. I will never forget my visiting period not only from the research viewpoint; in fact, during these five months I also enjoyed a lot discovering Japanese culture and way of life, spending great time with new friends inside and outside SDM. Thanks to this period, I had the chance to learn something about this beautiful country and to discover new points of view about work, research, and generally about life. I’ve really appreciated this experience and I consider it as an immeasurable value for both my professional and personal development. This is why I hope that other (Italian, but not only) students will enjoy a similar experience.