A DOUBLE Bonus!

TWO $500 Bonus Prizes for December!  Just a quick reminder that we'll be drawing two names to receive $500 Bonus Prizes for sales that take place between December 1 and December 31.  So, your chances are twice as good that you'll win a prize!

 

Just sell six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos during this month to qualify. Be sure to report all your December sales by January 2, 2013. We'll be announcing the winners on January 7th in the new year. Happy selling!

 

P.S. If you haven't read our post on "Day Two" of the Japan Holiday, please click HERE or click the link for "Next Stop: Beautiful Hakone National Park" in the Blog Archive on the right. 

Next Stop: Beautiful Hakone National Park

After a whirlwind day in Tokyo, we'll move from the frenetic pace of a world-class city to the tranquil serenity of one of Japan's most scenic places, Hakone (hah-KOH-neh) National Park near legendary Mt. Fuji.  Once we reach the Hakone area by motorcoach, we'll take a relaxing boat cruise on beautiful Lake Ashi. If it's a clear day, we'll enjoy some stunning views of Japan's highest peak (12,388 feet) as we soak in the natural beauty of one of Japan's most visited lake regions. 

Next, we'll board the mile-long aerial tramway to Ōwakudani (which is translated as "Great Boiling Valley"). Ōwakudani is an area known for its active sulphur vents and hot springs.  If the weather is clear and sunny as we ascend, we'll see more spectacular landscapes, including the striking image of Lake Ashi with Mt. Fuji ascending gradually behind it.  If you've never been on an aerial tramway before, it will be an exhilarating experience! 





Once we reach the hot springs of Ōwakudani, you may hear about a local speciality called kuro-tamago ("black egg"), which is an egg boiled in the hot springs. When boiled, the eggs turn black and smell slightly sulphuric. Local folklore says the eating one kuro-tamago will add 7 years to your life. Eating two-and-a-half can give you up to 17 years--but that's supposedly the limit. {Editor's Note: Now, that's one clever marketing tool for selling hard-boiled eggs!}  

At the end of the day, we'll check into a traditional "ryokan" hotel for some rest and relaxation. The term ryokan describes an inn or cottage that incorporates traditional Japanese elements such as tatami floors, futon beds, Japanese-style baths and local cuisine. After an authentic Japanese meal, you can take full advantage of the natural hot spring baths that are extremely popular with Japanese and foreign guests alike. It will be a restful conclusion to a day of natural beauty and cultural exploration.

 

The Leaderboard

We know it's still very early in the game, but we thought we'd give you a quick snapshot of the Leaderboard after the first two months of reporting.  First, here's a brief reminder about the prizes that await the eventual winners: 

For Large Market Dealerships:  The top nine salespersons who earn the highest number of trip points will each receive a trip-for-two to Japan.  For Smaller Market Dealerships:  The top two salespersons in a Medium Market and the top salesperson in a Small Market who did not finish in the top nine will each receive trips-for-two.  
 

THE EARLY LEADERBOARD  

The lists below are in numerical order (not ranked in order of points earned) and use the participant number you should have been sent recently.  If you have not yet received your participant number, contact Joe Deleski at:  jdeleski@kawaius.com.

 

Large Market Leaders (pursuing one of the nine trips-for-two):

1054, 1365, 2123, 2220, 2644, 2765, 3359, 3397, 3489, 3509, 3760, 3978, 4061, 4425, 4563

 

Small/Medium Market Leaders (pursuing one of the three trips-for-two):

2307, 3064, 3679, 3918, 4981

 

If you're not on the Leaderboard yet, don't be discouraged!  Anything can happen between now and February 28, 2013.  So, keep on striving!   And, if you're already on the Leaderboard, great job so far!  But don't let up. There are many others right behind you who are chasing the prize!  

 

Our thanks to all of you who are participating on our Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest.  Wishing you great success during the busy holiday selling season!

 

 

Our $500 Winner for November!

Why is this man smiling?  It's because he just won the $500 November Bonus Prize in our Japan Holiday Contest!  Congratulations to Rick Rice of SoCal Pianos in Ontario, California for selling six or more Kawai instruments during the month of November and being selected in our monthly drawing.  Thanks, Rick, for your faithful support of the Kawai brand!

TWO BONUS PRIZES FOR DECEMBER QUALIFIERS!  As a special holiday bonus, we'll be drawing TWO names from the hat to receive $500 Bonus Prizes for the month of December.  Just sell six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos during this month to qualify.  Be sure to report all your December sales by January 2, 2013.  We'll announce the winners on January 7th in the new year.  Happy selling!

 

Your Next Chance at $500!

Wouldn't it be great to have an extra $500 at this time of year?  This month, it could be you!  

It's almost time for our next drawing to determine who will win the $500 Bonus Prize for November!  Remember, all you have to do is sell six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos between November 1 and November 30 to qualify. Make sure you send in official reporting cards for each of your sales (along with copies of the retail invoices) no later than Saturday, December 1.  To meet the deadline, either fax your documents to Joe Deleski at 310-604-6913 or send PDF copies to jdeleski@kawaius.com.  You can call Joe at 800-421-2177 (x878) to confirm receipt of all documents.  We'll draw one name out of the hat on Wednesday, December 5th to receive the $500 Bonus Prize.  Happy selling!

 

 

 

 



More Visions of Tokyo!

Here's more about our day in Tokyo on Kawai America's Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday!  After we leave the historic Asakusa Kannon Temple area, you'll be able to choose between two great Tokyo destinations -- Akihabara Street or the Ginza District.

Akihabara Street (also known as Electric Avenue) is one of the world's great retailing meccas for consumer electronics goods. Think of it as a huge outdoor mall filled with Best Buy stores on steroids. If an electronic gizmo exists anywhere on earth, you'll probably find it on Akihabara Street!  Let's say an American electronics store has three variations of an item; a typical store on Electric Avenue will likely have six or even ten!  The Japanese really LOVE their electronics.  Although voltage differences may keep you from emptying your wallet at Akihabara, you'll still be able to see and try some of the latest technologies while they are still months (sometimes even years) from hitting our shores!

 If electronics aren't your thing, you can visit the Ginza District -- Japan's "Rodeo Drive." Ginza contains the country's most expensive real estate -- one square meter of land is worth over ten million yen!  As you walk through Ginza, you'll see flagship stores for all the paragons of high fashion such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, plus all of Japan's most venerated retailers including Matsuya, Mitsukoshi and the iconic Wako luxury store.  Add specialty boutiques and exclusive art galleries to the mix, and you have all the ingredients for an exquisite afternoon of strolling, perusing and drinking in the distinctive ambiance of Tokyo chic.

After this jam-packed day in Tokyo, we'll return to the hotel to get ready for our next excursion to one of Japan's most popular and beautiful destinations --

Hakone Hot Springs near scenic Mt. Fuji. 



TRIP DATES ANNOUNCED!

Announcing the dates for Kawai America's Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday!  Our fifty trip winners will leave from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Monday, May 13, 2013 and return to SFO eight days later on Monday, May 20.

Our First $500 Bonus Prize Winner!

Thanks to all who qualified for the $500 Bonus Prize Drawing in our Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest! As promised, we put all the names inside a Kawai baseball cap (what else would we use?) and asked the president of Kawai America, Mr. Naoki Mori, to do the honors by drawing one name out of the hat.

Congratulations to Lotof Shahtout of Michelle's Pianos in Portland, Oregon for becoming our very first Bonus Prize winner!  Thanks, Lotof, for selling Kawai, and for being one of the many talented salespersons from all around the country who sold six or more Kawai instruments during the month of October.

Is $500 in your future?

Someone is going to win $500! And it could be you.

If you’ve sold six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos during the month of October, send in your reporting cards (with store invoices) by Thursday, November 1^st and you’ll be entered in our $500 Bonus Prize Drawing that will be held on or about November 5^th.

To beat the deadline, send your reporting documents via fax to Joe Deleski at 310-604-6913 or send PDF copies to jdeleski@kawaius.com.  All completed documents must be received by 5:00pm PDT at Kawai headquarters to be eligible.  Feel free to call us to confirm receipt at 800-421-2177 (x878).

Will you be our winner?

First Stop: TOKYO

On Day One, we arrive in Tokyo, the capital city of Japan.  Like all the world's great cities, Tokyo has a unique energy that fills a first-time visitor with awe and excitement.  It is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, but is also one of the safest big cities for travelers.

One unique attribute of this Golden Anniversary Tour is a brief visit to Kawai's stunning Omotesando Showroom in central Tokyo.  Dealers and salespeople who have visited this beautiful, modern space often comment that the visit made them proud to represent the Kawai brand.  The Omotesando Showroom is indeed an impressive retail facility by any standard.

 

After Omotesando, we'll take off by coach on a whirlwind tour of some of Tokyo's most revered sites, including the Asakusa Kannon Temple and the 300 meter long Nakamise Arcade (marketplace) that serves as a bustling gateway to the temple area.  You'll get a great sense of "old and new" on this busy first day in Tokyo, Japan. 



Win a $500 Cash Prize This Month!

How would you like to win a $500 cash bonus? If you're enrolled in Kawai America's Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest, you should have received a confirmation letter from Kawai, a Point Schedule, and a set of Sales Reporting Cards. Now comes the fun part! If you sell six (6) or more qualifying Kawai acoustic or digital pianos from October 1 to October 31, 2012 and Kawai receives your reporting cards (with copies of invoices) by November 1, you'll be included in a drawing to receive a $500 cash prize. On or about November 5th, Kawai will draw one name from the pool of qualifiers to receive the $500 bonus prize. So, start reporting your Kawai sales right away! You can fax the documents to Joe Deleski at 310-604-6913 to beat the deadline.  Remember, documents must be received by 11/1/12 to qualify for the October drawing.  To confirm receipt of documents, email Joe at jdeleski@kawaius.com.  Good luck and good selling!

YOUR TRIP TO JAPAN WITH KAWAI

Welcome to the official blog for Kawai America's Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest!  In the upcoming posts, we'll be describing all the details of this fantastic trip and providing updates that let you know if you're on the "leader board" to win an 8-day, expense-paid trip-for-two to Japan!  Plus, there may also be some surprises along the way.  Stay tuned for information about bonus drawings in which you can win special $500 prizes!   

 

On the left is Kinkaku-ji, or the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.  With a history that goes back to 1397, it is one of the most popular sites in all of Japan. It rises over a placid pond that is surrounded by a lush, peaceful garden. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf.  We will enjoy a visit to the Golden Pavilion during our fifth day of the Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday!