The ‘miracle’ cleaning team on the Japanese ship

When a plane or long-distance Amtrak train arrives at its U.S. terminal, clearing the cabin is a slow process that can take 20 to 45 minutes. In Japan, Shinkansen bullet trains operate on an incredibly strict schedule. When a train with 1,000 seats arrives at Tokyo station, it stops exactly 12 minutes before departing for the next destination.

It takes about 2 minutes for passengers to get off the train and 3 minutes for new passengers to board. This means that the cleaning team only has 7 minutes to turn a messy train that has just served a large number of passengers into a clean space, welcoming new passengers. This was a feat of performance, famous globally as the “7 Minute Miracle”.

This cleaning process is so excellent that it has been studied by Harvard Business School as a typical lesson in operations management.

TESSEI, a subsidiary of Japan Railways, is responsible for cleaning Shinkansen bullet trains upon arrival at Tokyo Station – the last stop. TESSEI’s personnel are divided into 11 teams, each team consisting of 22 people in charge of cleaning about 20 trains per day.

The cleaning industry in Japan used to be classified as “3K” jobs – Kitsui (hard), Kitanai (dirty) and Kiken (dangerous). This is a profession that is often looked down upon by society, leading to a very low rate of long-term employees. Even of those who stay, very few have motivation or pride in their work.

The situation at TESSEI was no exception, until new CEO Teruo Yabe changed the culture and mindset of his employees in 2017. He believed that the value the cleaning team brings goes beyond cleaning, thereby defining them as “service professionals who deliver world-class experiences.”

As soon as the train entered the station, the TESSEI team began by bowing and thanking each passenger who got off. Once all passengers have left the ship, TESSEI’s 12-minute timer officially begins the countdown.

From minute 0 to 1 minute 30 seconds, staff collect large pieces of trash and check luggage racks and slots between seats to see if there are any forgotten items.

From 1 minute 30 seconds to 3 minutes, they rotate the seats 180 degrees in the direction of the train’s movement, sweep the area between rows of seats, and collect all trash into the common aisle.

From minute 3 to minute 5, tasks include cleaning the tray behind the seat back, opening all curtains, cleaning all windows and replacing dirty seat covers.

From minute 5 to minute 6, staff sweep the aisles and remove all trash from the train.

From minute 6 to minute 7, a final quality check is performed to complete the job.

With dedication and pride, this cleaning team turns an ordinary cleaning process into a memorable performance for visitors