Episode #29: The 106 Centimeter Cold Caller

Is cold calling really “impossible” in Japan?

Salespeople in Japan and worldwide often insist that cold calling does not work—especially in Japan. Targets are high, pipelines feel thin, and it is easy to blame “the market,” “marketing,” or “culture” for poor results.

In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies), sales teams quietly agree: “You just can’t cold call in Japan.” So excuses multiply, while opportunities disappear.

Mini-summary: Cold calling is not impossible in Japan—what stops most salespeople is mindset, not market reality.

Sales is one of the toughest professions emotionally. Many salespeople become “world-class whiners” when facing their numbers:

• They blame Marketing for weak campaigns and poor-quality leads.

• They complain that the market is saturated or not ready.

• They say buyers will never accept tobikomi eigyo (飛び込み営業 – unannounced drop-in sales visits).

When they finally try to cold call, they give up fast. After a few harsh rejections on the phone or at reception, they decide cold calling “doesn’t work” and retreat to their comfort zone.

Mini-summary: Most salespeople do not fail at cold calling because of customers; they fail because they give up emotionally after a few rejections.

What is tobikomi eigyo (飛び込み営業 – drop-in sales) and why does it feel so painful?

Tobikomi eigyo (飛び込み営業 – door-to-door, unannounced drop-in sales) is a classic Japanese sales activity:

• The salesperson visits offices without an appointment.

• They approach reception, introduce themselves, and ask to speak with someone in charge.

• In most cases, the lowest-ranked staff member politely but firmly turns them away.

If you work in Tokyo, you have probably seen these stressed, nervous salespeople in your office lobby. And like everyone else, you likely forgot them within 30 seconds of them leaving.

Mini-summary: Tobikomi eigyo (unannounced drop-in sales) feels painful because it combines low status, high rejection, and almost zero differentiation.

Who is Toshiya Kakiuchi, and what is “Invisible Sales”?

Now imagine doing tobikomi eigyo when you literally cannot be seen over the reception counter.

Toshiya Kakiuchi was born with a brittle bone disease that confined him to a wheelchair. Seated, he was only 106 centimeters tall. Many office buildings in Japan were almost inaccessible to him: steep stairs, heavy doors, and reception areas physically designed for standing adults.

He finally found work at a company that built websites. He expected a safe desk job in the office, but his boss sent him to the sales department with one instruction:
“Go out and sell websites. Do tobikomi eigyo. Visit offices door-to-door and find companies that need a website.”

While his able-bodied colleagues could visit 40–50 companies a day, he could visit only around 5, because of physical barriers and access challenges. Yet in a short time, he became the top salesperson in the company.

This is what we can call “Invisible Sales”: selling powerfully even when the world is not designed for you—and when most people do not expect you to succeed.

Mini-summary: Despite severe physical limitations and fewer daily visits, Kakiuchi turned “invisible” disadvantages into a visible sales edge and became the top performer.

Because he could meet only a few prospects per day, Kakiuchi had to make each interaction count. He turned his apparent weakness into powerful differentiation:

1. He was memorable.
   Companies receive many tobikomi eigyo visitors each month. Almost all are forgettable. But a salesperson in a wheelchair, clearly overcoming major barriers just to be there, stands out. People remember him.

2. He showed grit and persistence.
   He did not stop after the first rejection. He kept coming back—again and again—until he finally met a decision-maker.

3. He focused on value, not sympathy.
   He did not win because people felt sorry for him. He won because he clearly communicated value and built trust once he finally reached the right person.

4. He maximized limited opportunities.
   With only a few visits per day, he sharpened his conversation, listened carefully, and made every meeting a serious opportunity.

Mini-summary: By being memorable, persistent, and value-driven, Kakiuchi turned limited activity into high-impact sales and outperformed colleagues with far more “advantages.”

What does this mean for able-bodied salespeople in Japan and globally?

Compared to Kakiuchi, most salespeople in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) have enormous advantages:

• They can easily enter buildings, use reception phones, and meet many prospects.

• They can make dozens of calls or visits per day.

• They have CRM systems, marketing support, and digital tools.

Yet many still complain that cold calling is “too hard,” “not Japanese,” or “no longer effective.” Kakiuchi’s story removes those excuses. If someone with major physical challenges can succeed at tobikomi eigyo in Tokyo, what excuse does a fully mobile salesperson really have?

Mini-summary: Kakiuchi’s example challenges every salesperson: stop complaining, use the advantages you already have, and commit to consistent, high-quality outreach.

Kakiuchi did not stop at sales success. Today he leads his own company, Mirairo, which researches, designs, and consults on the needs of people with disabilities.

His initiatives include:

• Bmaps: a mobile app that shows where there are stairs, elevators, and other physical barriers along a route—critical information for people with mobility challenges.

• Barrier Value (バリアバリュー – “Barrier Value”): his book describing how he turned obstacles into assets, and how others can do the same.

In an aging society like Japan, where many people will eventually struggle with mobility, Mirairo’s work benefits everyone—not just those currently disabled.

Mini-summary: Kakiuchi transformed personal adversity into social innovation, creating tools and services that help disabled and aging populations navigate the physical world more safely and confidently.

What can leaders learn about engagement, grit, and performance?

Engaged employees do not wait to be pushed; they are self-motivated. Self-motivated people become inspired. Inspired people grow your business.

Kakiuchi’s attitude—grit, persistence, and a focus on value—is exactly what leaders want in their teams. But inspiration is not an accident; it is designed and developed.

Leaders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo) and across Japan can:

• Use his story in 営業研修 (sales training) to challenge excuses and build resilience.

• Reinforce these mindsets in リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) so managers coach, rather than criticize, effort.

• Help employees communicate their stories more powerfully through プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation skills training).

• Support high-potential managers with エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) to strengthen mental toughness and strategic influence.

• Connect his message to DEI研修 (DEI training), showing how inclusion unlocks hidden value and innovation.

Mini-summary: Leaders can turn stories like Kakiuchi’s into powerful training content that builds resilience, ownership, and performance across sales and leadership teams.

At Dale Carnegie Tokyo, we work with sales teams who face exactly these challenges:

• Fear of rejection in cold calling and tobikomi eigyo

• Low confidence in approaching senior decision-makers

• Limited resilience after a few “no’s”

• Difficulty connecting personal purpose to daily sales activity

Through our 営業研修 (sales training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI programs), we help both Japanese and multinational teams in Tokyo transform mindset and behavior:

• From excuses to accountability

• From fear to confident outreach

• From short-term frustration to long-term, relationship-based selling

If you are a business leader or sales director in Japan, ask yourself:

“Am I inspiring my people to push through rejection, or am I allowing them to stay comfortable and complain?”

If you want to explore how our programs can help, you can contact us at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com.

Mini-summary: Dale Carnegie Tokyo partners with companies in Japan to build salespeople who stop complaining, start differentiating, and consistently win more business.

• Cold calling in Japan is not impossible—most barriers are emotional and behavioral, not cultural.

• Toshiya Kakiuchi’s story proves that grit beats circumstances, as he became a top tobikomi eigyo salesperson despite severe physical limitations.

• Leaders must actively inspire engagement, using structured training in sales, leadership, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI to shape mindset and skills.

• Dale Carnegie Tokyo is a trusted partner for 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) seeking sustainable performance improvement in Tokyo and across Japan.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.